Australia beat India by 4 wickets to take 1-0 lead in the three match T20I series at the PCA Stadium at Mohali. With this win, they have now recorded their highest ever successful chase against the Men in Blue. Cameron Green and Matthew Wade were the architects of the win, after India set a record target of 209 for the visitors to chase.

Earlier in the game, Australia won the toss and Aaron Finch decided to bowl first. India lost Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli within the first six overs, but KL Rahul didn’t let that stop him from making a statement as he recorded his 19th T20I half century. He hit three fours and as many sixes as he needed to achieve fifty in 32 balls. Together with Suryakumar Yadav, he also rebuilt the Indian innings, with them stitiching a 68 run partnership.

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Yadav struck back-to-back sixes from Adam Zampa, to come very close his fifty. However, in the subsequent over of Cameron Green, he edged one to the keeper. 

India tried a new approach by promoting Axar Patel up the order. However, the promotion was unsuccessful because he only managed one boundary during his five-ball stay. Soon after, Dinesh Kartik was also lost his wicket to Nathan Ellis as he completed with a three-wicket performance.

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Hardik Pandya’s 25-ball fifty helped India ultimately reach 208/6. The finisher hit two sixes and seven fours on his route to his second fifty. After reaching half a century, the Gujarat Titans captain didn’t let up, concluding the Indian innings in the penultimate over against Cameron Green with three consecutive sixes.

However, Green soon redeemed himself, as he opened the batting with Aaron Finch. He struck four consecutive boundaries off Umesh Yadav in the second over of the match. His blitz boosted the Australians to 109/1 in just 10 overs. The youngster went on to score a fifty off of just 26 balls. He also led the Australian innings recovery with Steven Smith after Finch was sent off early in the innings by Axar Patel. Green was soon sent back to the pavilion by Axar Patel, who had dropped his catch when he was at 40.

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Soon the vistiors were reduced to 123/4, once Green and Smith’s 70 run stand came to an end, and the game quickly started to go against them. Axar Patel also sent Josh Inglis back, but Matthew Wade immediately came in and led Australia to the win. His regular boundaries kept Australia in the chase and soon the equation was reduced to 14 to win off 9 balls. He then smashed three straight fours in the penultimate overs off Bhuvaneshwar Kumar to take Australia to victory. Yuzvendra Chahal took the wicket of Tim David in the last over but that wasn’t enough as Pat Cummins struck a four to give Australia the win. Both team will now play their next match on September 23 at Nagpur.