1st T20I: '3 wickets and an unaccounted six' in thrilling last-over of India-Australia encounter


NEW DELHI: Young left-handed batter Rinku Singh held his nerves despite losing three wickets in three balls, guiding India to a thrilling last-ball two-wicket win over Australia in the first T20I of the five-match series in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

Needing 7 runs off 6 balls, Rinku started off with a four off the first ball followed with a single bringing the equation down to 2 off 4 balls.

But fate had different plans as India lost three wickets in the form ofAxar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh in the next three successive deliveries. India finally emerged triumphant but after having heart in their mouth in the dying minute of the game.

Here’s how the final over panned out during India-Australia encounter:
OVER 19.1: Rinku hit a fine four off the first ball. It was a length delivery as he shuffled across and just managed to slice it away past backward point for a boundary.
OVER 19.2: Rinku went for a single when Australian captain and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade encountered an unusual bounce, leading to a fumble that allowed a bye.
OVER 19.3: Axar was the first one to go as he threw everything and went for the glory shot but instead got a top-edge. And the bowler Sean Abbott himself ran backwards to complete the catch.
OVER 19.4: Next in Bishnoi, who got run out in quest of giving strike back to Rinku after going for a single on a bye. Wade missed the target but the bowler gathered the ball and ran Bishnoi out at the non-striker’s end. The good thing Rinku was back on the strike.
OVER 19.5: Arshdeep joined Rinku in the middle. And another shocking run-out after Rinku played the shot towards deep mid-wicket, he wanted two but Arshdeep fell short of his ground at the bowler’s end. The situation came down to one run off the last ball.
OVER 19.6: All hopes were pinned on chase-master Rinku now, and as expected he finished it off in style! It was a juicy half volley and Rinku dispatched it into the stands at long-on to take India home. The six became unaccounted for since Abbott overstepped the last delivery but at the end India recorded their highest successful chase in T20Is. India went past their previous best chase of 208 against the West Indies in 2019.

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By jaghit