Matthew Wade & Cameron Green run rampant as India crash and burn

Matthew Wade laid the charge at the death [Image Credits- Twitter]

Clean power hitting from Australia and dreadful bowling and fielding from India has helped the tourists seal a famous win in Mohali in the 1st T20I..

Chasing 209, Australia got off to a dream start thanks to all-rounder Cameron Green's belligerent power hitting.

Aaron Finch set the tone by cover-driving Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six off the first delivery, but it was Green, who stamped his authority as he bludgeoned Umesh Yadav for 4 consecutive fours in the 2nd over.

Finch was soon clean bowled by Axar Patel but it didn't matter as Green continued taking the Indian attack apart.

He laid into Yuzvendra Chahal with his fierce slog sweeps, conventional sweeps and thumps over mid-wicket to race his way to a 26-ball 50.

Green and Smith were also helped by the Indian fielders as Axar and Rahul dropped sitters off Hardik and Axar in the 7th and 8th over.

However, the game took another turn between overs 10-12 as Axar dismissed Green before Umesh got Smith and Glenn Maxwell caught behind.

Axar's spell really proved to be the game-changer even as Chahal continued to get smashed. The SLA gave away just 17 runs (in 4 overs) and rounded out his spell with the crucial wicket of Inglis.

But another poor spell of death bowling from Bhuvi (31 in 2) and Harshal (22 in the 18th) and clean hitting from Matthew Wade (45* off 21) and Tim David ensured that the Aussies powered home.

Earlier, Hardik Pandya (71* off 30), KL Rahul (55 off 35) and Suryakumar Yadav (46 off 25) batting masterclass lifted India to 208/6 in 20 overs.

On a day where KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav regularly switched their bats into paintbrush and sledgehammer, it's quite difficult to fathom and explain what transpired.

To start things off, India lost Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cheaply in the powerplay. But, it didn't matter, as KL and Surya got together to paint the PCA stadium.

Rahul's pick up shots on the leg-side against the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Cam Green were a sight to behold while SKY was at his typical whips off Adam Zampa and premeditated swats behind square against pacers.

The duo added 68 runs in just over 7 overs before Cam Green broke the stand with the dismissal of Surya.

Rahul, meanwhile, completed a fine half-century in just 32 deliveries, but in an attempt to flick Hazlewood over the deep-square, he holed out.

Entered Hardik Pandya, and over the course of the next 7 overs, the Mohali crowd was greeted to a masterclass of range and aesthetic power-hitting.

Nonchalant whip over backward square? Check. Lofted drives off the backfoot? Check. Straight drives? Check. Flat-batted swat through the covers. Check.

It was a proper T20 onslaught from Hardik, and it was his 31-ball 70, including 3 successive sixes off Green in the last over, which powered India to 208/6.

Amid the carnage, Nathan Ellis (3/30 in 4) was the pick of the bowlers.

Brief Scores:

India 208/6 (20)

Hardik Pandya 71* (30), KL Rahul 55 (35), Suryakumar Yadav 46 (25)
Nathan Ellis 3/30 (4), Josh Hazlewood 2/39 (4)

Australia 211/6 (19.2)

Cameron Green 61 (30), Matthew Wade 45* (21)
Axar Patel 3/17 (4)

Result: Australia won by 4 wickets

Also Read- IND vs AUS 2022 | Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma plunder records in the 1st T20I