IND vs AUS 2022, 1st T20I: Who won yesterday’s India vs Australia match?

Australia beat India by four wickets in yesterday’s (September 20) T20I at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. With the win, the Aussies took a significant 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Australia won the toss and asked India to bat first. Courtesy of Hardik Pandya’s stroke-filled 71* off 30 balls, the Men in Blue posted an imposing 208 for six on the board. However, Cameron Green (61 off 30) and Matthew Wade (45* off 21) played excellent knocks to lift Australia to a memorable win.

While Green set up the chase for Australia, Wade did a brilliant finishing job. With three overs to go, the Aussies needed 40 with five wickets in hand. However, Wade and Tim David combined to club Harshal Patel for three sixes in the 18th over, which went for 22. In the same over, Harshal also put down a tough return catch off Wade.

Wade then hit Bhuvneshwar Kumar for three consecutive fours in the penultimate over. The timely strikes brought the equation down to two needed off the last over. David (18) holed out to long off, trying to take on Yuzvendra Chahal. However, Pat Cummins punched the leggie through cover-point for four to bring up the winning runs.

Chasing 209, Australia got off to a terrific start, racing away to 109 for one at the halfway stage of their innings. Green, opening in David Warner’s absence, did the bulk of the scoring. Aaron Finch began Australia’s innings in grand style, lofting the first ball from Bhuvneshwar for a maximum.

In the next over, Green smacked Umesh Yadav for four consecutive fours. The boundaries kept coming before Axar Patel bowled Finch (22 off 13), angling one in from wide of the crease. There was no stopping Green though. In the seventh over, bowled by Chahal, he slammed the leggie for two sixes and a four.

Green had the rub of the green as well! In the eighth over, Axar dropped him at deep midwicket. Earlier, he could have been lbw to Chahal but India did not take the review. Just before Green got to his 50 off 26 balls, KL Rahul dropped a sitter offered by Steve Smith in the ninth over.

There was finally some relief for India as Green miscued a slog off Axar and was caught by Virat Kohli at long-on. Yadav, who was expensive at the start, redeemed himself by dismissing Smith (35) and Glenn Maxwell (1) in one over. After whacking a six and a four, Smith was caught behind, getting into a tangle while attempting a scoop. India took the review and overturned the not out decision.

The Men in Blue used the DRS to send back Maxwell as well. The “Big Show” attempted to slash a short ball over point. The on-field umpire wasn’t convinced by the appeal, but UltraEdge confirmed a spike. And when Axar bowled Josh Inglis around his legs for 17, India seemed to have control of the proceedings. Wade then gave another reminder of why one can never write him off.

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Hardik Pandya blitz powers India to 208/6

Hardik Pandya took on the Australian bowlers. Pic: Getty Images

Pandya hammered an unbeaten 71 off only 30 balls as India put up an impressive 208 for six in their 20 overs. The all-rounder slammed seven fours and five sixes, three of which came off the last three balls of the innings, in a dominant batting display. Earlier, KL Rahul (55 off 35) and Suryakumar Yadav (46 off 25) also made significant contributions.

The Men in Blue got off to a poor start, losing skipper Rohit Sharma (11) and Kohli (2) inside the powerplay. The Indian captain miscued a pick-up stroke off Josh Hazlewood and was caught in the deep. Kohli’s whip off Nathan Ellis only went as far as mid-on.

Rahul and Suryakumar added 68 for the third wicket to get the hosts back on track. In the last over of the powerplay, the latter drove Cummins for a four before whacking a six to over backward square leg. Rahul also looked in good touch and smashed Green for four and six off consecutive deliveries in the eighth over.

Rahul reached an impressive 50 off 32 balls but could not carry on much longer. He holed out to deep square leg, failing to time a delivery from Hazlewood that was angled into the legs. Suryakumar launched Adam Zampa for consecutive sixes before being caught behind off Green.

Pandya then took over, finding boundaries at ease, even as Axar and Dinesh Karthik perished cheaply at the other end. He brought up his 50 off 25 balls via a late cut off Ellis to complete the 19th over.

The in-form batter finished the innings in style, clubbing the last three balls of the innings from Green over the ropes. The first six was dispatched to deep midwicket, the second over long-off, and the third over deep third man.

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India vs Australia 2022: Who was Player of the Match in 1st T20I?

Pandya was superb for India with the bat. His fiery knock gave the hosts an excellent total to defend. Rahul and Suryakumar also chipped in with impressive contributions. With the ball, Axar (3/17) stood out.

Ellis was Australia’s most impactful bowler, ending with 3/30. With the bat, Green played a sensational innings at the top, while Wade was unstoppable at the death.

Green was declared Player of the Match for his whirlwind half-century.