India’s newly appointed t20i captain, Surya Kumar Yadav, and Rinku Singh star in the big run chase against Australia on Thursday night chasing down a big total of 209 runs in the first match of the five-match t20i series.
Indian Skipper scored 42 ball-80 runs at a staggering strike rate and in the end, it was Rinku Singh’s cameo that took India home in a thriller against Australia on Thursday in Visakhapatnam.
Sky’s innings was one of the lifeline to India’s chase clinically supported by the likes of Ishan Kishan, and Rinku Singh. It was the first instance when he was captaining an Indian side in international cricket however this pressure could not make it difficult for him to perform for his team.
But overall, it was the cool and calm finish by Rinku Singh that won the match for India in the final stages of the game. India required seven off the last over which was excellently chased down by Rinku Singh even though there was some sort of drama in the final over when Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi got run out without scoring a single run.
Rinku scored an unbeaten 22 off 14 balls which was very crucial from the team’s perspective if he hadn’t been there India could have lost that match for sure.
Extremely pleased with the lads’ on-field display of brilliance. Suryakumar remarked on the victory, “We were under pressure, but the way everyone got back into the game was wonderful.”
Speaking on taking on the role of captain for India, Suryakumar stated, “It’s a proud moment, whenever you play cricket, you think of representing India, it will take some time to sink in but very proud.”
Following the hosts’ openers’ 22-ball loss, Suryakumar’s 112-run partnership with Ishan Kishan, who hit a 39-ball 58, proved crucial.
Four days had passed since Australia’s unprecedented sixth ODI World Cup victory against India in the final.
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Josh Inglis, allowed to bat first on a batting-friendly wicket, crushed 110 off 50 balls for his maiden international century, leading Australia to 208-3.
After losing a wicket early on, Australia’s batsmen, led by Inglis (who hit 110 off 50 balls) and Steve Smith (who reached 52 before being run out), hit 130 runs off 67 balls in a brilliant stand.
Inglis was the one who laid the platform for a big target against India by scoring runs at an impressive strike rate. Firstly, he scored his fifty in just 29 balls and later he scored his hundred in 47 balls only which is vital for securing the big total for the team.
Later on in the innings, he fell to the fast bowler Prasidh Krishna after an outstanding innings which included 11 fours and 8 sixes in total.
Australia rested their main t20i star for this match as they were coming just after the World Cup. The players who were rested include Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, and Adam Zampa. Their next t20i is going to be on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram.