RANCHI: Spinner Kuldeep Yadav led an inspired bowling effort to help India down Australia by nine wickets in the rain-shortened first Twenty20 international in Ranchi on Saturday.
Chasing a revised target of 48 runs in six overs, the hosts achieved the win with three balls to spare. Opener Shikhar Dhawan, on 15, and skipper Virat Kohli, on 22, remained unbeaten.
But it was left-arm wrist spinner Yadav who set up India’s 1-0 lead in the three-match series as he returned figures of 2-16 to restrict Australia to 118-8 in 18.4 overs when rain halted play.
“It has been a combined effort of the players. But also the management group who have given great ideas in getting specialist players for formats,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation.
“Giving the youngsters chances... Wrist spinners if you give them confidence, they will get hit for one game but five games they will get you wickets and turn the game around on its head,” he added.
Opener Aaron Finch’s 30-ball 42 was the only bright spark for the David Warner-led side. Australia were jolted ahead of the clash with regular regular skipper Steve Smith forced out of the series with a shoulder injury.
In reply, the hosts lost Rohit Sharma early after the opener was bowled by paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile for 11. He hit a four and a six during his seven-ball stay.
The left-right batting combination of Dhawan and Kohli then took the attack to the opposition as they hit six boundaries between them to ensure a big win. Earlier the Indian bowlers never allowed the opposition batsmen to get going after being put into bat.—AFP
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Scoreboard Australia
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D. Warner b Kumar 8
A. Finch b Yadav 42
G. Maxwell c Bumrah b Chahal 17
T. Head b Pandya 9
M. Henriques b Yadav 8
D. Christian run out (Kohli) 9
T. Paine b Bumrah 17
N. Coulter-Nile b Bumrah 1
A. Tye not out 0
A. Zampa not out 4
Extras: (lb1, w2) 3
Total: (8 wkts; 18.4 overs) 118
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Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Warner), 2-55 (Maxwell), 3-76 (Finch), 4-87 (Henriques), 5-89 (Head), 6-111 (Paine), 7-113 (Coulter-Nile), 8-114 (Christian)
Did not bat: J. Behrendorff
Bowling: Kumar 3.4-0-28-1, Bumrah 3-0-17-2 (w1), Pandya 4-0-33-1, Chahal 4-0-23-1 (w1), Yadav 4-0-16-2
India (revised target of 48 in 6 overs)
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R. Sharma b Coulter-Nile 11
S. Dhawan not out 15
V. Kohli not out 22
Extras (lb1) 1
Total (1 wicket; 5.3 overs) 49
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Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Sharma)
Did not bat: M. Pandey, K. Jadhav, M.S. Dhoni, H. Pandya, K. Yadav, Y. Chahal, J. Bumrah, B. Kumar
Bowling: Behrendorff 1-0-5-0, Coulter-Nile 2-0-20-1, Tye 1-0-10-0, Zampa 1-0-6-0, Christian 0.3-0-7-0
Toss: India
Result: India beat Australia by 9 wickets in rain-hit tie
Series: India lead the three-match series 1-0
Umpires: Nitin Menon (IND) and Chettithody Shamshuddin (IND) TV Umpire: Anil Chaudhary (IND)
Match Referee: Sir Richie Richardson (WIS).—AFP
