Mohali: Matthew Wade steered his team to a four-wicket victory over India after a blistering knock by Cameron Green in the opening game of the three-match Twenty20 series in Mohali on Tuesday.
Wade’s unbeaten 45 off 21 guided the visitors to chase down India’s mammoth 209 runs with four balls remaining after Australia briefly stuttered in the middle overs following quick losses.
All-rounder Cameron Green, who replaced star batsman David Warner for the India tour, smashed 61 off 30 balls to provide impetus to the visitors in the opening game.
Green smashed eight fours and four sixes after the Aussies lost skipper Aaron Finch for 22 in the third over.
The right-handed all-rounder stitched a 70-run partnership with Steve Smith before he was caught by Virat Kohli off Axar Patel.
Powerful batting show
Smith with 35 off 25 departed in the next over followed by Glenn Maxwell’s wicket in the same over for one.
But Wade displayed a powerful batting performance, hitting six fours and two sixes helping the visitors to chase down the target in the 19th over.
Tim David, who made his Twenty20 debut, scored 18 off 14 balls while Josh Inglis made 17 off 10 balls, with Pat Cummins hitting the winning four off Yuzvendra Chahal. Axar’s return of figures of 3 for 17, while Umesh Yadav took 2 wickets for 27.
Challenging total
Australia won the toss and opted to field in the opening match, with India’s Hardik Pandya smashing a rapid 71 not out to post a challenging total of 208-6 against the visitors.
Opener KL Rahul also made a half-century while Suryakumar Yadav hit 46 after the hosts lost skipper Rohit Sharma for 11 and star batsman Virat Kohli for two in the powerplay.
Rahul compiled 55 off 35 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes before he was caught by Nathan Ellis off Josh Hazlewood at deep square-leg.
Yadav hit four sixes in his 25-ball stay before he was caught behind off Green.
But Pandya increased the scoring rate further, hammering 71 off 30 deliveries.
Missing names
The 28-year-old all-rounder hit five sixes and seven fours.
Ellis was the most successful bowler and finished with figures of three for 30.
The three-match series is being used as a warm-up for next month’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
The visitors are playing without pace spearhead Mitchell Starc and all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh due to injuries.
India are looking to bounce back after crashing out of the Asia Cup this month before the knockout stage.
