India 49 for 1 (Kohli 22*) beat Australia 118 for 8 (Finch 42, Kuldeep 2-16, Bumrah 2-17) by nine wickets via DLS method
© Associated Press
Australia’s batsmen had a direful time coping with a slow and low surface at the JSCA International Stadium and never recovered from the early muddle to concede the first T20I by nine wickets to India. Having limped to 118 for 8 on an overcast evening in Ranchi, the rains eventually came down to limit Australia’s first innings to 18.4 overs. By the time they subsided, India’s chase had been shortened to six overs, and they mowed down the 48-run target with minimal fuss despite the loss of Rohit Sharma.
It was a pitch that had everything a batsman does not desire to see in a T20 international – variable bounce, lack of pace, grip, turn, and early on, movement in the air. Just how low the surface played was manifested by the fact that six of the eight batsmen Australia lost were bowled; two of them having chopped on.
Full report to follow
Akshay Gopalakrishnan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo