Shikhar Dhawan’s breezy knock of 76 runs went in vain, as India went down by 4 runs in the first T-20 international at Brisbane on Wednesday.
After being sent into bat by Indian skipper Virat Kohli, the Aussies opening pair of Aaron Finch and D’Arcy Short got of to a solid start, as they added 24 runs for the first wicket, before Khaleel Ahmed broke through by getting rid of Short for 7 runs.
Finch was dropped by Kohli in the fourth over, but failed to cash in. caught by Ahmed at backward point off the bowling of Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep also accounted for the dangerous looking Chris Lynn to leave the home side in a spot of bother at 75/3.
Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis then took the Indian attack to the cleaners by adding 78 runs off 37 balls for the fourth wicket.
The visitors didn’t have a great day in the field- Khaleel dropped Stoinis just as the rain came down, which made India’s revised DLS task far harder.
Left arm chinaman Kuldeep was India’s best bowler with figures of 2/24 in 4 overs.
Owing to the Duckworth Lewis system (15 runs were added) India were given 174 runs to chase. The opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma got their team off to a quick start by adding 35 runs before the latter was dismissed for 7 runs.
Lokesh Rahul surprisingly came in at No 3 ahead of skipper Kohli, a decision that didn’t quite pay off. Even as Dhawan continued to accelerate at one end, Adam Zampa accounted for both Rahul (13 off 12) and Kohli for 4 as India slipped to 94/3
Dhawan was dropped for 65, but fortunately for Australia, it didn’t cost them too much, as he was dismissed for 76 by Billy Stanlake.
With 60 odd required of the final 4 overs, Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik went for broke, and brought India back into the game as AJ Tye was taken for 25 runs in his second over. India seemed to have it sealed but the match again turned when Pant was dismissed while trying to play a scoop in the penultimate over.
Krunal Pandya had an off day the ball by conceding 55 runs in his 4 overs, and he was unable to make up for it with the bat.
India needed 11 off the last five balls, but Pandya and Karthik were dismissed off successive deliveries by Stoinis, and India fell four runs short.
Adam Zampa was declared the Man of the match with 2/22.
The crowd for this Gabba T20 was 31,183. The second T-20 international will be played on Friday at Melbourne.