India's Tour Of Australia, 1st T20I: Virat Kohli & Co Lose Rain-Hit Tour Opener By 4 Runs

Shikhar Dhawan's brilliant 76 off 42 balls failed to save India as the visitors lost the tour-opening match against Australia by four runs via D/L method in the rain-hit first Twenty20 International at the Gabba, Brisbane on Wednesday.

Virat Kohli won the toss and sent Australia in to bat, then the hosts made 158/4 in 17 overs before rain cut the game short to a 17-overs-a-side affair. Chasing 174 runs for a win after D/L method came into action, India fell short by five runs, managing 169 for seven.

India first faltered in the field, letting Australia score 158 for four. Glenn Maxwell was the star batsman for Australia, hammering 46 runs off 24 balls. He hit four sixes in a whirlwind knock before the rain came, after Chris Lynn scored 37 runs off 20 balls to help Australia recover from a slow start.

The 45-minute rain stoppage meant India were set a revised target of 174 runs in 17 overs. Then, opener Dhawan smashed a sublime 76 off 42 balls in the run chase before Dinesh Karthik came up with a pulsating 30 off 13 balls towards the end but India still finished agonisingly short on 169 for seven.

The asking rate was climbing up and it took a toll on Dhawan, who finally holed out of Billy Stanlake, leaving Rishabh Pant (20 off 15 balls) and Karthik with a mountain to climb.

India nearly achieved the impossible, putting on 51 off a mere 24 balls, toying around with the Australian bowling. But what is becoming increasingly frustrating with Pant, he played yet another loose and unnecessary stroke, throwing his wicket away.

It left Karthik to finish off things, but he found the going tough without enough support from the other end. With 13 needed off 6 balls, Krunal Pandya (2) and Karthik holed out off consecutive deliveries off Marcus Stoinis (2-27).

It was a morale-boosting win for Australia, who have endured a dismal run of late in limited overs cricket. The second match of the three-match series will be played in Melbourne on Friday.

Brief scores:

Australia in 158/4 in 17 overs (Glenn Maxwell 46, Chris Lynn 37; Kuldeep Yadav 2/24);
India: 169/7 in 17 overs chasing 174 via D/L method (Shikhar Dhawan 76; Adam Zampa 2/22).

India Innings; Target 174

Over 17 || Score 169/7 (Kuldeep Yadav 4; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1)

India could manage 55 runs in the last four overs to lose the match by four runs. It was always going to be tough for any side to chase a target of 174 in 17 overs after the rain stopped the play.

Over 12 || Score 109/4 (Rishabh Pant 1; Dinesh Karthik 2)

India lost two quick wickets in the form of skipper Virat Kohli and opener Shikhar Dhawan. 31 runs and three wickets in the last four overs. India need 65 runs in 30 balls.

Over 10 || Score 93/2 (Shikhar Dhawan 65; Virat Kohli 4)

KL Rahul's poor form continues. Departed for 13 off 12 balls. Stumped off the second ball of the ninth over, bowled by Adam Zampa.

And that brought skipper Virat Kohli in the centre.

Over 5 || Score 41/1 (Shikhar Dhawan 32; KL Rahul 1)

Rohit Sharma gone, caught bu Aaron Finch at mid-on after some struggle. Indian opener failed to time his shot, ended up flicking the ball. Wicket to Jason Behrendorff. That happened off the first ball of the fifth over.

India need 133 runs from 72 balls. The required rate is already over 11. KL Rahul is the new man for India.

Over 2 || Score 18/0 (Rohit Sharma 4; Shikhar Dhawan 13)

Jason Behrendorff started the proceedings. Three runs off the first ball with Rohit Sharma playing through cover. 11 runs, thanks to two fours, from the over.

Billy Stanlake shared the new ball, and right-arm fast bowler leaked seven runs from his first over.

Australia Innings

Over 17 || Score 158/3 (Marcus Stoinis 33; Ben McDermott 2)

Match reduced to 17-overs a side. Jasprit Bumrah completed his unfinished over, conceding five more runs. But the Indian opener did manage to remove Glenn Maxwell.

Over 16.1 || Score 153/3 (Glenn Maxwell 46; Marcus Stoinis 31)

Then came the rain, to the rescue of Indian bowlers. Play stopped. Just before the stoppage, Khaleel Ahmed dropped Marcus Stoinis off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah.

Meanwhile, Krunal Pandya has leaked 55 runs from his four overs.

Over 16 || Score 153/3 (Glenn Maxwell 46; Marcus Stoinis 30)

A very quick fifty-run stand between Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis has put Indians on the back-foot. They have posted 77 runs from 35 balls, with 62 of those coming from the last four overs.

Indian bowlers running for cover, literally.

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav has become the bowler with most wickets after 15 T20I matches. He now has 31, two ahead of previous quickest Ajantha Mendis (29).

Over 11 || Score 83/3 (Glenn Maxwell 5; Marcus Stoinis 7)

Kuldeep Yadav removed dangerous looking Shric Lynn, caught and ball, off the first ball of the 11th over. Lynn made 37 off 20 balls.

Over 10 || Score 75/2 (Chris Lynn 37; Glenn Maxwell 4)

Aussie captain Aaron Finch became the eighth player to notch up 500+ T20I runs in a calendar year, and sixth to do so in 2018. But he didn't last long as Kuldeep Yadav had him caught at backward point by Khaleel Ahmed. That happened off the third ball of the ninth over. The opener made 27 off 24 balls.

But the hosts two of the most destructive batsmen in the centre, in Chris Lynn and Glenn Maxwell. Lynn has already hit four sixes, including three against Khaleel Ahmed in one over, in the 8th.

Over 5 || Score 31/1 (Aaron Finch 19; Chris Lynn 5)

Virat Kohli dropped his rival number Aaron Finch at short cover off the first ball of the 4th over, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah.

In the next over, Khaleel Ahmed dismissed D Arcy Short, caught by Kuldeep Yadav. He made 7 off 12.

Toss

India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia in the first Twenty20 International at Brisbane on Wednesday.

India's XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed and Jasprit Bumrah.

As expected, Yuzvendra Chahal has been left out.

Australia: D Arcy Short, Aaron Finch (c), Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey (wk), Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Jason Behrendorff, Billy Stanlake