Visakhapatnam, February 24: India made a sub-par 126 for seven after being asked to bat first Australia in the opening T20I here on Sunday. KL Rahul made a fifty off 36 balls but the Aussies bowlers led by pacer Nathan Coulter Nile hit back with force to restrict India to 126/7. But Glenn Maxwell made a fine fifty as Australia huffed home by three wickets in a last-over thriller.
India will face Australia in the first T20I here on Sunday (February 24) and the series, consisting of two T20Is and five ODIs, will offer the selectors and the team management a chance to find suitable candidates and back-up for the available slots for the ICC World Cup 2019 beginning in England from May 30.
But the immediate goal in front of India will be to win the first T20I and make a bright beginning to the series and keep going their dominance at home and the Aussies, still without David Warner and Steve Smith, are not precisely a massive force. So can India do it? Here's MyKhel's live updates of India vs Australia first T20I.
All over. Australia managed to go past the tape in a last over thriller and emerge a three-wicket winner.
Searing yorker and Nile is castled by Bumrah for 7. Aus are 113/7 and they need 14 runs off 6 balls.
Handscomb is out, the ever widening gulf between ball and runs required forced him to swipe at Bumrah and Dhoni doess not miss them often. Aus are 113/6. Looking tough now.
Australia need 16 runs from two overs.
Wicket no 5 as Ashton Turner's effort to sweep Krunal Pandya ended up in the ball uprooting his stumps. Aus are 102/5
Just like that Short is run out. Handscomb wanted a second but Short was in doubt. Mix up ended in Short's run out and Aus are 101/4.
In the meanwhile, Darcy Short played a nice little innings and his footwork against spinners were pretty good
Maxwell is out after making a vital fifty. He wanted to deposit Chahal out of stadium but distance was not there, easy catch to KL Rahul
At half-way mark Australia are 67/2
Debutante Mayank Markande, the leg spinner, into attack now.
Debutante Mayank Markande, the leg spinner, into attack now.
Maxwell gets a 6 and four off Chahal as Aus reach 41/2 in 6 power play overs.
Glenn Maxwell gets three fours off Umesh Yadav as Aus try to recover from those two early blows.
Bumrah has taken out Finch trapped in front of the wicket for a duck, And Australia are 5/2. This track is not easy for shot making as getting slow and low progressively.
Wicket no 1: Stoinis is run out for 1 at non-strikers end. Aus are 5/1 after two overs.
D'Arcy Short clips Bumrah for a four through on-side Delightful shot. And India introduce spin of Chahal in the second over itself.
India make a sub-par 126/7 after losing wickets at regular intervals.
Dhoni has been struggling for timing in this innings. He will be on strike in the last over. Can he overturn?
India have lost their 7th wicket. Umesh Yadav has been trapped lbw by Pat Cummins for 2 and the hosts are 109/7.
Krunal Pandya wanted to pull Nile but all he could manage was an edge to Glenn Maxwell. India are 101/6 and Dhoni already has tail for his company in Umesh Yadav
India are stumbling here. Karthik is cleaned up by Nile for 1. And India are 94/5
Rahul departs immediately after making fifty. A tame straight catch to Aaron Finch off Nathan Coulter-Nile. India are 92/4
KL Rahul has reached fifty in 35 balls, a top knock from the man under pressure.
Pant had a rather bizarre run out. He wanted a run but caught in a mix up with Rahul. Out for 3 and India are 81/3. Dhoni joins Rahul in the middle
Kohli wanted to send Zampa over mid-wicket but there neither was timing and power as he just managed a tame catch to Nathan Coulter-Nile in the deep. He made 24 and India are 69/2
Cummins into attack and he had a good opening too, just three runs.
After the six Power Play blocks, India are at a healthy 49/1
Kohli joins the party with a straight hit to the fence off Behrendorff. Superb shot
KL Rahul, under some pressure to score runs, is looking good here couple of nice shots each of Richardson and Behrendorff
India lose their first wicket. Rohit Sharma wanted to scoop Behrendorff over square leg but just managed a tame catch to Adam Zampa for 5. India are 15/1 after three overs. Kohli is the new man.