Suryakumar helps India to thrilling record win on captaincy debut

Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav slammed an impressive half-century and Rinku Singh played a crucial cameo as India chased down 209 in a nail-biting finish against Australia in Vizag in the first T20I of the three-match series on Thursday.

Suryakumar walked in with India in trouble at 22/2 in a run-chase of 209, and soon unveiled his trademark pull shot over fine leg for six off Jason Behrendorff. 

With Ishan Kishan picking up pace from the other end, Suryakumar unleashed his shots in the powerplay. A six and a four came off the next over from Sean Abbott and two more boundaries in the final powerplay over of Nathan Ellis took Suryakumar to 26 off just 12 balls.

The skipper had spoken about playing a ‘fearless’ brand of cricket on the eve of the game and stayed true to the approach with a stiff target in sight.

Kishan took on his match-up Tanveer Sangha in the ninth over for a four and two sixes and soon completed his half-century in the 13th over off the same bowler. However, he holed out for 58 two balls later as Australia broke a threatening stand.

Suryakumar continued his charge, racing to fifty off 29 balls with a big hit off Abbott.

While Tilak Varma fell without adding much at the other end, Suryakumar found support from Rinku Singh. Despite cramps troubling him, the skipper stood tall to help India complete a record run-chase in men’s T20Is. He was eventually dismissed for 80 in 42 balls with Aaron Hardie taking a screamer, but by then India only needed 15 runs off 14 balls.

Axar Patel’s late dismissal followed by Ravi Bishnoi’s run out the next ball added to the drama. India needed two from two balls after Bishnoi’s run out, but Rinku Singh stayed calm under immense pressure to smash a back of a length delivery to the leg side.

However, Arshdeep Singh was run out attempting the second run and India were eight down with one needed to win off one ball. Rinku Singh, cool as ever, hit a six off the final ball to seal a sensational win for India. With the final delivery turning out to be a no-ball, the six didn’t eventually count with the extra run accounting for India’s win.

India had never chased down a higher target to win a men’s T20I game. The previous highest was achieved in Hyderabad in 2019, when Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 94 helped India chase down 208 with more than an over to spare.

Overall, this was India’s fifth successful run-chase of a target greater than 200 in men’s T20Is. 

The second T20I of the series will be played on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram.