India hunted down a stiff target of 209 against Australia in Vizag on Thursday, to secure a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series between the two sides.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav led the charge with a stroke-filled 42-ball 80. Rinku Singh kept the cool in a tense last-over finish, scoring a six off the last ball when his side needed just one to win.
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 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 was 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.
Earlier, Josh Inglis hit his debut international century. Inglis aggressively played against the Indian bowlers, scoring 110 runs off 50 deliveries, powering Australia to a massive total of 208/3 in 20 overs.
He achieved his century in just 47 balls, adorned with 11 boundaries and 8 sixes, dominating the young Indian bowling lineup with consistent boundary hits.
This outstanding century tied the record for the fastest T20I century by an Australian, previously set by former skipper Aaron Finch in 2013, both achieved in 47 balls against England.
Despite an early dismissal, Inglis partnered with Steve Smith, who scored 52 runs before being run out, forging a rapid 130-run partnership in just 67 balls.
Inglis reached his fifty in 29 balls and his century in 47 balls, celebrating exuberantly while the Australian team applauded from the dressing room.
He was eventually dismissed by fast bowler Prasidh Krishna after a remarkable innings featuring 11 fours and eight sixes.
Australia, led by Matthew Wade, strategically rested key ODI players like Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, and Adam Zampa as part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup in June.
- Rinku Singh