IND vs AUS 2023 | SKY's 360-Degree Antics, Rinku's Finish Overpower Inglis Ton In A Thriller

Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan both scored half-centuries in first IND vs AUS T20I (x.com)

Brief Scores: Australia: 208-3 (20 overs) [Josh Inglis: 110 (50), Steve Smith: 52 (41); Prasidh Krishna 1/50 (4), Ravi Bishnoi 1/54 (4)] lost to India: 209-8 (19.5 overs) [Suryakumar Yadav: 80 (42), Ishan Kishan: 58 (39); Tanveer Sangha 2/47 (4), Matthew Short 1/13 (1)] by two wickets. 

Team India outclassed Australia in a high-scoring thriller to go 1-0 up in their five-match T20I series in front of a near-capacity VDCA Stadium in Vishakhapatnam.

Josh Inglis’ record ton powers AUS to 208

Being put into bat by Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Australians tested new opening pair in the form of Steve Smith and Matthew Short. While the latter was cleaned up at the brink of powerplay by Indian tweaker Ravi Bishnoi, Smith formed a 130-run alliance with aggressive number three Josh Inglis.

Smith himself pounced on his newfound opening role with a boundary-filled 52 from 41 balls. His partner Inglis, on the other hand, unleashed a belligerent all-out assault on Indian bowlers through his maiden T20I century. Racing to his three-figures from just 47 balls, Inglis eventually departed to the pavilion upon leaving 110 scorching runs in his wake. Tim David provided the death-overs surge to lift Australia towards a colossal 208-3 from their 20 overs.

Among Indian bowlers, the two only wicket-takers of the innings both conceded over 50 runs in their respective spells. While Bishnoi accounted for opener Matthew Short, fellow comeback Indian bowler Prasidh Krishna curtailed Josh Inglis’ threatening stay at the crease.

Suryakumar’s 80, Rinku’s finishing act wins it for IND

Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal clobbered an eight-ball 21 at the top before he was holed out by Steve Smith off Matthew Short in just the third over of the run-chase. His opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad, meanwhile, became the casualty of a terrible mix-up within the first over of the innings.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan at number three and interim skipper Suryakumar Yadav at number four both defied Australian bowlers with counterattacking 50s, with the latter top-scoring in the innings on his captaincy debut with a 42-ball 80.

Kishan’s dismissal at 134-3 triggered a semi middle-order collapse within the Indian camp, while Yadav’s departure stretched the game down to the final over of the match. As many as three wickets fell in succession towards the closing stages before Rinku Singh bludgeoned a huge six off a no-ball to seal the deal for the ‘Men in Blue’.

With a 1-0 lead to their name, hosts India will now face Australia in the second T20I on November 26 in Thiruvananthapuram.

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