3 epic T20I encounters between India and Australia 

The first T20I between Australia and India, to be played at Brisbane, is just a week away. Already, there are heavy expectations on the Indian considering their dominating performance against West Indies at home.

The 3-match T20I series will be followed by a 4-match Test series and 3 ODIs. This will be a perfect opportunity for Virat Kohli's team to make history down under as the current Australian side is weak and missing key players due to various reasons.

India had toured Australia in 2016 for a 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is. They lost ODI series 4-1 but triumphed in the T20Is by winning the series 3-0. Kohli and Rohit Sharma were the key contributors with the bat in that series and the expectations will be the same this time around as well. While India are favourites to win the ODI and T20I series, Australia cannot be taken lightly at any cost.

When it comes to head to head record in T20Is, both teams have clashed against each other on 15 occasions in which India won 10 games and Australia won 5 games. There have been many epic encounters between both the teams over years. Let us look at three memorable games between them over the years.

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#3 Raina and Yuvraj seal last ball win for India - Sydney (2016)

This was the 3rd and final T20I played between both the teams in the 2016 season. Going into this game, India were already leading the 3 match series 2-0 and were looking for a whitewash.

Electing to bat first on a good batting deck, Australian skipper Shane Watson lead the way by scoring a blistering 124* of 86 balls. Australia amassed a huge total of 197/5 in their allocated 20 overs. Ashish Nehra was the pick of the bowlers for India with 1-32 in his 4 overs.

In reply, India got off to a flying start, thanks to Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma. When Dhawan was dismissed in the 4th over, India were 46-1 and the onus was on Rohit and Virat Kohli to take India home.

Both Rohit and Kohli kept scoring at a brisk pace and India were well on course for a victory. However, both the batsmen fell in quick succession and it was on the shoulders of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh to win the game.

22 runs were required of 2 overs and an out of form Yuvraj Singh struggled to score boundaries of the penultimate over, which left India to score 17 off the last over. Andrew Tye was given the responsibility to bowl the last over and what followed was the magic of Yuvraj Singh.

The veteran left-hander scored a boundary and six of the first two balls to bring the equation to 7 off 4 balls. With 2 needing of the last ball, Suresh Raina smashed one over the point region for a boundary to bring up a memorable victory for Team India. India not only won the match but won the 3 match T20I series 3-0.

#2 Yuvraj powers India to the final – Durban (2007 World T20)

Yuvraj Singh scored a brilliant 70 off 30 deliveries

This was the first time both the teams clashed against each other in a T20I game. The venue was Durban and it was the second semi-final of the inaugural World T20 that was held in South Africa in the year 2007.

Electing to bat first on a good surface, India got off to a slow start. Quick loss of wickets saw India struggling at 41-2 by the end of 8 overs.

Robin Uthappa and Yuvraj Singh stepped up the gas and started smashing the Australian bowlers. Yuvraj smashed his way to a 30 ball 70 and cameos from Robin Uthappa (34) and MS Dhoni (36) helped India to put up a solid total of 188/5 in 20 overs.

In reply, Australia got off to a blazing start with the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden taking the attack to the Indian bowlers. Sreesanth provided the initial breakthrough by removing Adam Gilchrist but the Australians kept scoring runs at a fair clip.

The game took a drastic turn in the last 5 overs, when wickets kept tumbling and the required run-rate crept up. Sreesanth removed the dangerous Matthew Hayden for 62 in the 15th over and the game tilted into India’s side.

Joginder Sharma was given the ball to defend 22 runs from the last over, the medium pacer conceded only 6 runs and picked up 2 wickets to help India clinch the game and go through to the finals of the Inaugural T20I World cup.

While all the Indian bowlers stepped up, it was Sreesanth who was the pick of the bowlers with 2-12 in his 4 overs. However, the Man of the Match was awarded to Yuvraj Singh for his blistering 70 off 30 balls.

#1 Kohli masterclass wins the game for India - Mohali (2016 World T20)

Virat Kohli's 82 helped India reach the semi-final

This memorable encounter took place during the 2016 World T20 Super 10 game played in Mohali. Electing to bat first, Australia got off to a blazing start scoring at more than 10 runs per over. Ashish Nehra provided the initial break-through by removing Usman Khawaja for 26. Indian spinners stepped up to the occasion and pegged the scoring rate by picking up wickets at regular intervals.

Glenn Maxwell provided some late order impetus by scoring few boundaries. Aided by cameos from Shane Watson and Peter Nevill, Australia managed to put up a fighting total of 160/6 in their allocated 20 overs.

Hardik Pandya was the pick of the bowlers for India with 2-36 in his 4 overs while Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh picked up 1 wicket each.

In reply, India lost Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma before the Power Play and were struggling at 37/2 before the six-over mark. Suresh Raina departed in the 8th over and the onus was once again on Virat Kohli and Yuvraj to steady the ship and steer India home.

Yuvraj suffered an injury and couldn’t run between the wickets. After the southpaw was dismissed in the 14th over, Kohli and skipper MS Dhoni took on the bowlers. The Delhi batsman started attacking the bowlers and ensured that the required run-rate was in check.

Kohli smashed two fours and a six off Faulkner to bring the equation to 20 from the last two overs. He followed it up with four boundaries of the 19th over bowled by Nathan Coulter-Nile to bring the target to touching distance.

With four runs needed in the last over, Dhoni finished the game with a boundary and India marched into the semi-finals. For his brilliant 82* off 51 deliveries, Kohli was adjudged Man of the Match.