NEW DELHI: India etched their name in T20I history on Friday, becoming the team with the most wins in the format. This remarkable achievement unfolded during the fourth T20I clash against Australia in Raipur, where India secured a 20-run victory, not only winning the series 3-1 but also marking their 136th win in T20Is.
Out of the 213 T20Is India have played since their debut in the format in 2006, they have emerged victorious in 136 matches, with 67 losses and one tie. Three matches ended without a result, reflecting a formidable win percentage of 63.84. This milestone surpasses Pakistan, who have 135 wins in 226 T20I matches.
The two Asian rivals are followed by New Zealand (102 wins in 200 matches), Australia (95 wins in 181 matches), and South Africa (95 wins in 171 matches) in the list of most wins in the shortest format of the game.
In the crucial match against Australia, India set a competitive target of 175 runs. Contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, and Jitesh Sharma propelled India to 174/9 in 20 overs. Ben Dwarshuis shone with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 40 runs, supported by Tanveer Sangha (2/30) and Jason Behrendorff (2/32).
Australia's chase saw a promising start with Travis Head's brisk 31, but the team lost momentum. Despite efforts from Matthew Short (22) and skipper Matthew Wade (36 not out), they fell short by 20 runs, finishing at 154/7. Axar Patel's stellar bowling performance (3/16) and Ravi Bishnoi's economical spell (1/17) played a pivotal role, with Deepak Chahar contributing with 2 wickets.
1/10:Rinku, spinners help India clinch T20I series against Australia
AFP
2/10:Rinku Singh's quickfire 46
India posted a competitive 174/9 thanks to Rinku's 29-ball 46 blitz, despite late strikes by the Australian fast bowlers after the tourists elected to field first in Raipur.PTI
3/10:Axar Patel's apin attack
Axar returned figures of 3-16 with his left-arm spin as the hosts kept down Australia to 154/7 to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.ANI
4/10:Suryakumar's captaincy debut
Suryakumar Yadav led the team to victory in his first series as captain, displaying excellent leadership skills.AP
5/10:Ravi Bishnoi's impactful bowling
Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi struck on his first delivery as he bowled Josh Philippe, for eight, and finished with figures of 1-17.PTI
6/10:Australia's late strikes
Ben Dwarshuis took two wickets in the 19th over and Jason Behrendorff also struck twice in the next over to deny Rinku his fifty and check India's surge.PTI
7/10:Matthew Wade's resilient innings
Skipper Matthew Wade's valiant innings of 36 not out was not enough to save Australia from defeat.AFP
8/10:Key partnership for India
Rinku Singh's partnerships, including a crucial 56-run stand with Jitesh Sharma, played a vital role in India's total.AP
9/10:Australia's WC stars absent
Australia missed the presence of their ODI World Cup stars, including Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.AP
10/10:Final T20I in Bengaluru
The fifth and final T20I match between India and Australia will take place in Bengaluru on Sunday.APIndia's series victory, with a match to spare, was capped off by Axar Patel being named the 'Player of the Match' for his impactful performance.
(With inputs from ANI)
