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The Men in Blue kick-started their series down under with the first T20 International against the Baggy Greens in Brisbane, Australia. India would hope for a 3-0 white-wash in the shorter format which they achieved during their previous trip in 2015-2016.
India played Krunal Pandya and Khaleel Ahmed leaving out the leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the dug-out. Australia brought in Adam Zampa in place of Nathan Coulter-Nile.
India started positively giving away four runs from the first two overs. Kohli dropped Finch at six after a hard cover-drive burst through the hands of the Indian skipper.
Young Khaleel Ahmed claimed the first Australian wicket after D’Arcy Short skied the ball up for Kuldeep to complete a running catch.
Finch fell to Yadav after he did not read the wrong one caught at short third by Khaleel. Lynn played a crisp knock of 37 runs from 20 deliveries with four sixes before he played one back to Kuldeep in the tenth over.
India’s fielding continued to disappoint after Khaleel dropped Stoinis at third man followed by Rahul attempting to inflict a direct hit instead of a lob when Maxwell had made just nine runs.
Maxwell and Stoinis toiled with the Indian bowlers forging a 78-run partnership. Maxwell made 46 of 24 with four towering sixes while Stoinis remained unbeaten on 33 from 19.
Rain ended the Australian innings prematurely with Maxwell holding out to square-leg in the first ball after the resumption of play.
Duck-worth Lewis calculations propelled the Australian score to 173 with Kuldeep Yadav ending with two wickets for 24 runs from is four overs.
Shikhar Dhawan stroked his way to a wonderful half-century with 76 runs of 42 balls before being caught at the edge of the boundary at third-man executing the uppercut. Sharma, Rahul, and Kohli fell cheaply without adding a lot to the scoreline.
Pant and Karthik brought solidarity to the innings with a 51-run partnership. Pant tried the reverse scoop when India was cruising as he skied the shot which ended in the hands of Behrendorff.
Pant getting caught for the second time playing that shot when India required 18 runs from the last ten deliveries. Pandya and Karthik fell in the final over as India ended with 169 on the scoreboard falling short by four runs. Adam Zampa with two wickets for 22 runs, deservedly won the Man of the Match performance.
India takes on Australia at Melbourne on November 23rd.
Twitter erupts after India’s loss to Australia at Brisbane.
