Save opener KL Rahul's 50 off 36 balls and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unbeaten 29 off 37 balls, none of the other Indian batsmen could manage a significant knock
Gleen Maxwell
Australia defeated India by three wickets in a thrilling T20I in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. India managed only 126 for 7 in their 20 overs against Australia despite a half-century from comeback man KL Rahul. Save opener Rahul's 50 off 36 balls and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unbeaten 29 off 37 balls, none of the other Indian batsmen could manage a significant knock.
The best partnership was 55 for the second wicket between Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli (24, 17 balls).
Looking in his element, Kohli didn't get the required elevation as he stepped out to leg-spinner Adam Zampa only to find Nathan Coulter-Nile at long-on. In the very next over, Rishabh Pant misjudged a single and Jason Behrendorff dived to his left and released the ball quickly for keeper Peter Handscomb to effect a run-out.
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The Indian innings was all about Rahul's flair as he repeatedly played the inside out lofted shot off pacers and the only six was a down the ground hit off Adam Zampa. Rahul, however, could not convert his start and got out immediately after reaching his fifty in an over where Coulter-Nile (3/26) also breached Dinesh Karthik's defence with an off-cutter.
At the start of the innings, Behrendorff dismissed Rohit (5) as early as in the third over with the Indian vice-captain trying the lap shot but only to give Zampa a simple catch at fine leg. But things started to go in India's favour from the next over with Rahul and then Kohli scoring a flurry of boundaries.
For Australia, Nathan Coulter-Nile took 3 for 26 in four overs. Glen Maxwell top-scored for Australia with a 43-ball 56. For India, Jasprit Bumrah took three wickets.
Brief Scores:
India: 126/7 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 50 off 36 balls, MS Dhoni 29 no, Nathan Coulter-Nile 3/26 in 4 overs)
Australia: 127-7 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 56; Jasprit Bumrah 3/16)
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