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SPORTS DECEMBER 04, 2020 | The Indian Eye 46

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India register 11-run win over Australia in the first T20I

Our Bureau thought they had a great start.

Canberra They were cruising. The batters
offered us a few wickets. That is
spirited all-round per- T20 cricket for you,” Kohli said
formance from India at the end of the game.
A saw them register a The India skipper also
comprehensive 11-run win over praised the players for showing
Australia in the first T20I here intensity, especially how Jadeja
at the Manuka Oval on Friday. hit a whirlwind unbeaten 44 off
The 1-0 lead in the three-match just 23 balls. “In Australia, you
series is just how the visitors need to play hard and show in-
would have wanted to start after tensity till the end. He batted
losing the ODI series 2-1. beautifully in the last game,” the
If KL Rahul (51) and Ravin- captain pointed.
dra Jadeja (unbeaten 44 off 23 India's Ravindra Jadeja gets injured during the first T20 of the series at While Kohli was all praise
balls) guided India to a respect- canberra on Friday. (icc twitter/ ANi) for his bowlers, he also pointed
able 161/7 in their 20 overs, Yuz- at Hardik Pandya and how his
vendra Chahal -- brought in as he hit 33 off the 34 runs that brilliant running catch helped
concussion substitute for Jadeja came in the last two overs. The the team send Finch back to
-- took the stage by storm with southpaw tore into the Austra- the hut. Finch’s dismissal was
ball in hand and finished with lian bowling in the last two overs just the sniff Chahal needed to
match-winning figures of 3/25. and anything in the arc went into make further inroads.
Not to forget the brilliant show the stands as he finished with a Australian skipper Aaron
from debutant T Natarajan as strike-rate of 191.30. Finch didn’t raise any questions
he picked three wickets for 30 India skipper Virat Kohli on India’s use of the concussion
runs from his four. made it clear that the team had substitute and said that one can-
Chahal took the field in the no plans to play Yuzvendra Cha- not challenge a medical expert’s
second innings after all-round- hal in the opening T20I against opinion.
er Jadeja was hit on the helmet Australia. Not only did fate see Several former cricketers
in the last over of the India Chahal walk in to bowl, but also had expressed displeasure after
innings and the BCCI medi- the spinner ended with the Man India spinner Yuzvendra Cha-
cal team decided to assess the of the Match award at the Ma- hal took the field in the second
player before allowing him to nuka Oval on Friday. innings of the opening T20I
get on with proceedings. Cha- Coming in as a concus- against Australia as a concus-
hal was brilliantly supported sion substitute after bowling sion substitute for all-rounder
by Natarajan as the former Virat Kohli along with Australian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja.
changed the momentum of the skipper Aaron Finch during the 1st was hit on the head in the fi- Jadeja, who played a spec-
game despite not being named t20 of the series at canberra on nal over of the India innings, tacular knock to power India to
in the initial playing XI. Friday. (Bcci twitter/ANi) Chahal finished with figures of a defendable 161/7, was hit on
Chasing a decent target of 3/25 from his four overs. Most the helmet in the final over of
162, Aaron Finch and D’Arcy wicket. The team then suffered importantly, it was Chahal who the innings and the BCCI med-
Short provided a fyling start. a blow as they lost two quick broke the opening partnership ical team decided to assess the
The duo added 53 runs in the wickets in successive overs. Cha- between Aaron Finch and D player before allowing him to
powerplay and smashed Indian hal struck again and bagged in- Arcy Short by sending back the get on with proceedings.
bowlers across the park. form batsman Smith (12) while Aussie skipper. “There were no Former cricketers claimed
Chahal, in his first over, re- Natarajan caught explosive bat- plans of having Yuzi in the game. that India used the substitute
moved skipper Finch (35) in the ter Glenn Maxwell (2) in front Concussion replacements are a without following the desired pro-
eighth over. Steve Smith joined of the wickets. strange thing. Today, it worked tocol as Jadeja didn’t undergo a
Short in the middle and accu- Earlier, Jadeja played the for us. Yuzi showed character concussion test after he was seen
mulated 16 runs for the second role of a finisher to the tee as to squeeze the opponents. I limping in the final over. (ANI)

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