Rain washes out 1st T20I between India and Australia at Manuka Oval

CANBERRA: The first T20I of the five-match series between Australia and India, which is being played at Manuka Oval in Canberra, was called off due to persistent rain on Wednesday. Earlier, Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh had won the toss and opted to field first.

Ahead of the series opener, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out for the first three T20Is. He is recovering from his left quadriceps injury sustained during the second ODI in Adelaide. The 22-year-old complained of neck spasms, which have impacted his recovery and mobility. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress.

Batters Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill came out in the middle to open the innings for the Men in Blue. Both batters started off their innings carefully and later accelerated. Gill and Abhishek (19 runs off 14 balls) put on a 35-run partnership before the latter was sent back to the pavillion in the fourth over of the innings by right-arm seamer Nathan Ellis.

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1⃣5⃣0⃣ sixes and counting for Captain @surya_14kumar in T20Is

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Following Abhishek’s dismissal, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav came out in the middle to bat. After completing five overs, the match was stopped as rain poured in Australia. When the game stopped, the visitors were 43/1 in five overs with Gill (16*) and Suryakumar (8*) unbeaten on the crease. The game was resumed after a 45-minute break, with the match being reduced to 18 overs per side.

The first over after the rain was bowled by all-rounder Marcus Stoinis. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side scored 10 runs in this over. After the end of six overs, the team was 53/i with Gill (22) and Suryakumar (12) unbeaten on the crease. In the 10th over of the innings, which was bowled by Ellis, Suryakumar slammed 14 runs in four balls with the help of two fours and a six before the match was stopped once again due to rain.

Before the play was stopped, Suryakumar Yadav added another feather to his cap by becoming the fifth player to hammer 150 sixes in T20Is, following his explosive outing in the first T20I against Australia in Canberra on Wednesday.

The Indian skipper tonked two towering maximums to become the second Indian to wallop 150 T20I sixes and joined a special club, featuring Rohit Sharma (205) at the top, followed by Muhammad Waseem (187), Martin Guptill (173) and Jos Buttler (172). The seasoned swashbuckler achieved the feat in his 91st T20I. (ANI)