Dhawan, Kohli score quickfire 74 each as India register a 74-run victory over Western Australia in T20 practice match at Perth
Perth: India started their limited-overs tour of Australia on a positive note, comprehensively beating a second-string Western Australia XI by 74 runs in a Twenty20 warm-up game in perth on Friday with Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan striking fluent half-centuries.
Shikhar Dhawan plays a straight drive en route his 74 in Perth yesterday. Pic/AFP
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Batting first, India scored 192-4 in 20 overs with Dhawan and Kohli contributing 74 runs each.
The duo added 149 runs for the second wicket after Rohit Sharma (6) missed out on a run feast on a bouncy WACA wicket.
Dhawan, whose form has been patchy of late, looked in good touch as he played 46 balls hitting eight boundaries and an equal number of sixes.
The Delhi duo was helped by the fact that the ball came onto the bat nicely and they were able to play their strokes in free-flowing manner.
Dhawan on song
Dhawan hooked fast bowler Matthew Kelly for a couple of sixes and also punished leg-spinner James Muirhead with a slog-swept six over deep mid-wicket.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who promoted himself to No 4, also hit a quickfire 22 off 14 balls.
In reply, Western Australia XI could only manage 118-6 as rookie left-arm speedster Barinder Sran bowled impressively to notch up figures of 2-24 from four overs.
B Sran impressed with 2-24
More importantly, Sran hit the right length, hurried the batsmen with short balls and also showed his skills of being able to swing the white kookaburra at a lively pace.
Among other bowlers, left-arm spinners Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja had identical figures of 2-13 from three overs. In all, Dhoni used six bowlers resting Ishant Sharma for today’s warm-up one day match.
Dhawan said that the “team got what it wanted” from the opening tour fixture.
Confidence
"I am happy that I scored runs in a practise match. It gives me confidence. I got used to the pitch. More time that I spend at the wicket in the coming days, better it will be for me," the Delhi left-hander said.
The Indian team is back in Australia after 10 months but Dhawan insisted that the attitude remains same despite few changes in the squad.
He agreed that beating Australia in their den is on top of their agenda.
"Australia are one of the best side in the world. Winning against a good side always gives a good feeling. We will give our best shot."
Dhawan also praised Sran for his impressive show, stating that the left-arm speedster looks to be a 'good prospect for India.'
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