World’s best 20/20 sides collide at MCG from 7.15pm; results, scores, weather updates, Ben Austin tribute
The first Twenty20 between Australia and India was wiped out by the Canberra rain on Wednesday, with the tourists able to bat for a total of 97 with less than half their allotted overs.
Shubman Gill was on 37 and skipper Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 39 when the first encounter in the five-match series was stopped for the second and final time after 9.4 overs.
India’s Shubman Gill bats in Canberra.Credit: Getty Images
India opener Abhishek Sharma had already finished off Nathan Ellis’ delivery to Tim David in the mid-on 19th over when drizzle brought the game to an end for the first time and the match was reduced to 18 overs.
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Gill and Yadav gave the Manuka Oval crowd at least some entertainment by completing 54 runs in 4.4 overs before rain ravaged the Australian capital again.
India, favorites to hold the T20 World Cup on home soil early next year, were looking to continue their momentum after a consolation win in the final match of the one-day international series on Saturday.
The second match of the T20 series will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
The tourists had earlier suffered another injury blow with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of the first three T20s due to neck spasms recovering from a quadriceps injury sustained in the ODI series.
Batsman Shreyas Iyer suffered a ruptured spleen requiring hospital treatment when he fell awkwardly in the Sydney ODI last weekend.
Reuters
