NEW DELHI: India beat Australia in the first T20I at Visakhapatnam on Thursday as Suryakumar Yadav (42-ball-80) slammed the highest individual score on captaincy debut for India in T20Is.
The dashing batsman was named the Player-of-the-Match for the 13th time in T20Is, his second award against Australia.
Suryakumar's match-winning knock was studded with 4 sixes and 9 fours.
1/10:1st T20I: Suryakumar Yadav leads India stat attack against Australia
AFP
2/10:India beat Australia
<p>India's two-wicket win is their second successful 200-plus run chase against Australia in T20Is after the six-wicket win at Rajkot in 2013. </p>Getty Images
3/10:Team India
<p>India is the only team to complete five successful run-chases of 200 or more in T20Is. </p>Getty Images
4/10:India's highest successful run chase
<p>The 209-run chase win in Visakhapatnam is India's highest successful run chase in T20Is. </p>PTI
5/10:India's highest total against Australia
<p>209/8 is India's highest total against Australia in T20Is, eclipsing the 208/6 at Mohali on September 20, 2022. </p>Getty Images
6/10:Suryakumar Yadav
<p>Suryakumar Yadav (42-ball-80) slammed the highest individual score on captaincy debut for India in T20Is. </p>AFP
7/10:SKY is the limit
<p>Suryakumar Yadav eclipsed the 62 by KL Rahul vs Afghanistan at Dubai on September 8, 2022. </p>AFP
8/10:Man of the Match
<p>Suryakumar Yadav was named the Player-of-the-Match for the 13th time in T20Is, his second award against Australia. </p>AFP
9/10:Ishan Kishan
<p>Ishan Kishan joined MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant to hit two 50-plus scores by designated wicketkeepers for India in T20Is. KL Rahul heads the list with 3. </p>Getty Images
10/10:Josh Inglis
<p>With his maiden T20I ton, Josh Inglis equalled the Australian record of Aaron Finch to hit a T20I hundred off 47 balls. </p>Getty ImagesSuryakumar's 112-run third-wicket stand with Ishan Kishan, who smashed a 39-ball 58, proved key after the hosts lost their openers on 22.
In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Suryakumar relived his knock that was instrumental in helping India take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Asked to describe his game in one word, 'Mr 360 degrees' said, "fearless".
"I think, he (Ishan) helped me really well. For me to be fearless, him staying there and his knock was very important," said Suryakumar, whose strike rate of 190.47 was the key to the chase.
Finally, Rinku Singh drove India to victory with an unbeaten 22 off 14 deliveries.
"I think he (Rinku) was very calm, though it was a pressure situation. When he came in to bat, he was very calm and the composure which he showed, I think, that was great to see," Suryakumar told the BCCI.
1/10:1st T20I: Surya, Rinku help India chase down 209 against Australia
Getty Images
2/10:India's record chase
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav's 42-ball 80 and an unbeaten cameo by Rinku Singh helped the hosts chase down an Indian best of 209 against Australia.AFP
3/10:Rinku Singh's heroics
Rinku, a left-hand batsman who hit 22 off 14 balls, smashed a six that was not counted as the run off the no-ball got India past their previous best chase of 208 against the West Indies in 2019.AFP
4/10:'Chase master' Rinku Singh
Needing seven off the last over, India lost three succesive wickets including two run outs on ball four and five before chase-master Rinku got the team to victory after Sean Abbott bowled a no-ball.PTI
5/10:Suryakumar's captaincy debut
"Very happy with the way the boys displayed the talent on the field. We were put under pressure, but the way everyone came back into the game, was great," Suryakumar said of the win.ANI
6/10:Key partnership
Suryakumar's 112-run third-wicket stand with Ishan Kishan, who smashed a 39-ball 58, proved key after the hosts lost their openers on 22.PTI
7/10:Inglis' explosive century
Josh Inglis smashed 110 off 50 balls -- his maiden international ton -- to guide Australia to 208-3 after being invited to bat first on a batting-friendly pitch.PTI
8/10:Australia's blistering partnership
Australia lost an early wicket before Inglis, who smashed 110 off 50 balls, joined Steve Smith, who made 52 before being run out, to hammer 130 runs off 67 balls in a blistering partnership.PTI
9/10:Australia's T20 World Cup preparation
Australia rested many of their ODI stars -- including Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa -- as they plan for the T20 World Cup in June.PTI
10/10:Next match in Thiruvananthapuram
The second T20I match between India and Australia will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.PTIOn whether there were tense moments in the dressing room after seeing Australia's 200-plus total on the board, the skipper said, "Little bit. Itna experience nahin hai dressing room mein (there isn't that much experience in the dressing room) but all the boys were excited.
"When they saw the score on the board, they only said one thing, 'if we win this game it will be truly enjoyable'.
"Very proud to lead the country and very happy to contribute in my first game as captain. Looking forward to the next game and how it goes," added Suryakumar.
The second T20I is on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram.
(With PTI inputs)
