India v Australia, 1st T20I: Revised target for India revealed

The India-Australia T20I series began on a sloppy note with Australians yet again failing to convert their start like they did in the ODI series. After Virat Kohli, the Indian skipper elected to field first, the visiting side scored 118/8 in the 18.4 overs before clouds over the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi opened to shower. The drizzle intensified in the penultimate over as the umpires had to take the players off with only eight balls left in the Australian innings.

The Australian captain for the T20I series, David Warner struck two fours in the first over before playing on trying for the third boundary off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell put on 47 runs for the 2nd wicket in just 34 balls before Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Maxwell for the fourth time on this tour. Maxwell, who played three games in the ODI series, got out to the leg-spinner in all the three games.

Finch led the charge of his side with a 30-ball 42 before Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah’s wickets kept the Aussies’ run-rate under seven. Out of the eight batsmen dismissed before the rain break, six of them were out bowled. This was only the 5th instance in T20I cricket where six batsmen got bowled in the same innings with none of the previous four instances having more than six batsmen getting bowled.

Aakash Chopra tweeted, “India need 48 in 6 overs. 2 overs power play. I’m expecting a change in the opening combo—Rohit and Kohli should open.”

Cricket.com.au tweeted, ‘India’s official revised total is 48 from six overs in Ranchi. Get ready for some fireworks!’

Chetan Narula tweeted, ‘Super job by the groundsmen… match to start at 10.15pm, just short of 3min cut off. 6 overs. 48 target.’

Target set for India: 48 runs

Overs: 6

Start time: 10:15 PM IST