IND vs AUS, 1st T20I: Hosts manage 208/6; Hardik shines
India racked up 208/6 in the first T20I against Australia at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Vice-captain KL Rahul set the tone for their innings with a blistering knock. Rahul, who shared a pivotal stand with Suryakumar Yadav, also completed 2,000 runs in the shortest format. All-rounder Hardik Pandya added his finishing touch. He hammered three sixes in the final over.
India managed 46/2 in the Powerplay
India made a cautious start after Australian skipper Aaron Finch elected to field. The Men in Blue lost skipper Rohit Sharma in the third over. He was caught by Nathan Ellis in an attempt to flick the ball over square leg. A couple of overs later, Nathan Ellis got rid of Virat Kohli. India managed 46/2 in the first six overs.
Rahul played a brilliant knock
Rahul steadied India's ship after Rohit and Kohli departed. Rahul added a valuable 68-run stand with middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav. The former played some exquisite shots throughout the innings. His pick-up strokes over mid-wicket and square leg grabbed eyeballs. He shut the critics, who questioned his strike rate. Rahul struck 55 off 35 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes).
20th fifty-plus score in T20I cricket
Rahul has become just the third Indian to have registered 20 or more fifties-plus scores in T20I cricket. He is behind Kohli (33) and Rohit (32) in this regard. Besides smashing 18 half-centuries, Rahul owns two tons in the format. Rahul has now raced to 2,018 runs in 62 T20Is. He has a strike rate of 141.31 in T20I cricket.
Rahul completes 2,000 T20I runs
Rahul has become the third Indian batter to have slammed over 2,000 runs in T20I cricket. He is only behind Rohit (3,631) and Kohli (3,586) in terms of T20I runs among Indians. Rahul averages 39.56 in the format.
A terrific finish by Hardik!
Suryakumar smashed an immaculate 46 (25). His knock was laced with 2 fours and 4 sixes. Later, Hardik slammed just his second half-century in T20I cricket. He registered his career-best T20I score, guiding India to a competitive total. Hardik went past 900 T20I runs. The Indian all-rounder also completed 50 sixes in the format. Hardik smashed three sixes off the final three deliveries.
