Mohali : Aaron Finch led Australia crashed India in a high scoring thriller, with power hitting innings of Cameron Green & Matthew Wade, by 4 wickets at Mohali in the 1st T20I of the series.
Chasing a huge score of 209 off 20 overs, Cameron Green & Aaron Finch gave Australia a flying start. Cameron Green who was sent as an experiment opener did a fantastic job to score a blistering 61(30), giving early momentum to Australia, building partnership with Steve Smith, after Finch’s dismissal. Though Axar Patel & Umesh Yadav took 4 quick wickets, of Cameron Green ,Josh Inglis & Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith respectively, Australia had other plans, as Matthew Wade along with debutant Tim David sealed a fiery partnership of 62 runs, taking the match within the grip of Australia. India didn’t seem recovering from the death bowling dilema after the Asia Cup as both Harshal Patel & Bhuvaneshwar Kumar were bashed for 38 runs in the 2 overs at the death by Matthew Wade & Tim David. With 2 runs required of the last over, Rohit Sharma handed the ball to Yuzvendra Chahal, who took Tim David’s wicket of the very 1st ball, but conceded boundary to Pat Cummins in the very next ball, thereby, giving Australia a famous victory at Mohali.
Earlier in the 1st innings, India were put to Bat, and they went off to a fiery start with KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma hitting Aussie bowlers all over the park. India suddenly lost both their veteran players – Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli , but that didn’t break their backbone as KL Rahul & Suryakumar Yadav sealed a partnership of 68 runs between each other, scoring 55 & 46 respectively. After their dismissal, Hardik Pandya took the burden on his soldiers, despite Indian middle order started to collapse, Pandya stood at 1 end & scored an unbeaten 71* (30), taking India to 208 runs at the end of 20 overs. Cameron Green however, overshadowed these heroics , thereby winning the Man of The Match for his glory.
Brief Scorecard :
1st Innings :
India : 208/6(20)
Hardik Pandya : 71*(30)
KL Rahul : 55(35)
Suryakumar Yadav : 46(25)
Australia
Nathan Ellis : 3/30
2nd Innings :
Australia : 211-6(19.3)
Cameron Green : 61(30)
Matthew Wade : 45*(21)
Steven Smith : 35(24)
India
Axar Patel : 3/17
Australia win by 4 Wickets
