Rain ruins India's fiery start: 1st T20I vs Australia abandoned in canberra, action shifts to Melbourne

Canberra (The Uttam Hindu) - The first T20 match played between India and Australia at Manuka Oval Stadium in Canberra was cancelled due to rain. Australia's captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and decided to bowl. Coming to bat first, the Indian team got a quick start from openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill and added 35 runs in 3.5 overs. Abhishek was out after scoring 19 runs in 14 balls with the help of 4 fours. Suryakumar Yadav came to bat at number three. Gill and Surya were taking the Indian innings forward rapidly when the game had to be stopped due to rain.

Rain halted play for a long time. When the match resumed, the match was reduced from 20 overs to 18. Gill and Surya had batted explosively, taking the score to 97 in 9.4 overs, when rain began again. At that time, Gill was on 37 off 20 balls, including 4 sixes and 1 four, and Suryakumar Yadav was on 39 off 24 balls, including 2 sixes and 3 fours. The two had a 62-run partnership off 35 balls. After a long wait, the umpires declared the match abandoned when the rain persisted. Nathan Ellis took the only wicket of Abhishek Sharma. The positive for India in this match was that captain Suryakumar Yadav was back to his old form after a long time. The ball was coming on well to Surya and he was able to play all the shots for which he is renowned. Surya hit two sixes in his innings, becoming the second Indian batsman, after Rohit Sharma, to hit 150 sixes in T20Is. The second T20 match will be played in Melbourne on October 31.