RANCHI: India beat Australia by nine wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis method in the rain-truncated first Twenty20 International at Ranchi on Saturday (partly reported in Sunday’s edition).

Chasing 48 in six overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, the hosts reached their target with three deliveries to spare after the loss of Rohit Sharma for 11 at the JSCA International Stadium.

India captain Virat Kohli brought up the winning runs with his third boundary in his innings of 22 off 14 balls.

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who missed the One-day International series against the same opponents to be with his ailing wife, remained unbeaten on 15 off 12 deliveries.

The rain came down with Australia struggling on 118 for eight in 18.4 overs after being tied down by India’s spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Australia, who handed a debut to left-arm paceman Jason Behrendorff, were not able to complete their innings and India’s target was adjusted.

Kohli won the toss and with the expectation of rain later, opted to field against the tourists, who had lost the five-match ODI series 4-1.

But it was left-arm wrist spinner Yadav who set up India’s 1-0 lead in the three-match series as he returned figures of 2-16.

“It has been a combined effort of the players. But also the management group who have given great ideas in getting specialist players for formats,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation.

“Giving the youngsters chances... Wrist spinners if you give them confidence, they will get hit for one game but five games they will get you wickets and turn the game around on its head,” he added.

Opener Aaron Finch’s 30-ball 42 was the only bright spark for the David Warner-led side.

Australia were jolted ahead of the clash with regular skipper Steve Smith forced out of the series with a shoulder injury.

The second T20 is scheduled on Tuesday in Guwahati.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

D.A. Warner b Kumar 8
A.J. Finch b Yadav 42
G.J. Maxwell c Bumrah b Chahal 17
T.M. Head b Pandya 9
M.C. Henriques b Yadav 8
D.T. Christian run out 9
T.D. Paine b Bumrah 17
N.M. Coulter-Nile b Bumrah 1
A.J. Tye not out 0
A. Zampa not out 4

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-2) 3

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 18.4 overs) 118

FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-55, 3-76, 4-87, 5-89, 6-111, 7-113, 8-114.

DID NOT BAT: J.P. Behrendorff.

BOWLING: Kumar 3.4-0-28-1; Bumrah 3-0-17-2 (1w); Pandya 4-0-33-1; Chahal 4-0-23-1 (1w); Yadav 4-0-16-2.

India:

R.G. Sharma b Coulter-Nile 11
S. Dhawan not out 15
V. Kohli not out 22

EXTRAS (LB-1) 1

TOTAL (for one wkt, 5.3 overs) 49

FALL OF WKT: 1-11.

DID NOT BAT: M.K. Pandey, K.M. Jadhav, M.S. Dhoni, H.H. Pandya, B. Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Y.S. Chahal, J.J. Bumrah.

BOWLING: Behrendorff 1-0-5-0; Coulter-Nile 2-0-20-1; Tye 1-0-10-0; Zampa 1-0-6-0; Christian 0.3-0-7-0.

RESULT: India won by nine wickets (D/L Method) to lead three-match series 1-0.

UMPIRES: N. Menon (India) and C. Shamshuddin (India).

TV UMPIRE: A.K. Chaudhary (India).

MATCH REFEREE: R.B. Richardson (West Indies).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Kuldeep Yadav.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2017