The Indian cricket team had a nightmare on the field despite a powerful show with the bat against Australia in the first T20I played in Mohali on Tuesday night. Hardik Pandya (71*) and KL Rahul (55) batted superbly to power the hosts to a big 208/6 in 20 Overs.
Once it was their turn to bowl, things unravelled quickly. Allrounder Cameron Green belted an unbeaten 61 before Matthew Wade played a blinder – 45 not out off 21 to power Australia to a four-wicket win.
Watch: Rohit Sharma’s Superb Reaction After Steve Smith Gets Disappointed With DRS Adjudging Him Out
Green was given a life when batting on 42 as Axar Patel in the deep failed to hold onto a catch. However, much before that, the young Aussie had been let off by a India when they didn’t appeal for what would have been a lbw dismissal when he was batting on 17.
Also Read: Pandya’s Sharp Reply to a Query on Patel’s Expensive Over
It happened during the fifth over of Australian chase when Green went for a sweep off Yuzvendra Chahal but missed it with the ball crashing on the pad. Surprisingly, India didn’t appeal and later, the ball tracker predicted it would have hit the stumps.
Fans on Twitter quickly picked on it and began criticising them for the missed opportunity.
Luck is with Green first LBW nd now catch drop
— sᴜʀʏᴀ I.P.S (@GenuineViratFan) September 20, 2022
India didn’t appealed for the lbw of Cameron Green and now he is proving that how costly that mistake was
— . (@Forty5_Tweetz) September 20, 2022
Green was lbw out and now catch dropped 2 chances #IndiavsAustralia #CricketTwitter
— @singh47 (@singhhh47) September 20, 2022
Last time we faced australia in Mohali, a newbie called Ashton Turner thrashed us left and right after a stumping chance of his was missed
This time another newbie called Cameron green doing the same after a missed LBW chance
— Rohitian Ashwin (@ashwin_hitman) September 20, 2022
#INDvsAUS
Dropping catch can be understandable but Dropping appealing can’t be justifiable or digested. Green was clearly lbw and chahal don’t even look at umpire.
Same 19th over bawlee same result
7 balls-2 runs from kohli making 19-20
Bhuvi speed is like 125kmph. Like spin.— Abhinav Sinha (@SinhaAbhinav1) September 20, 2022
Forget about reviewing India did not even appeal for that lbw against Green. Lousy from Chahal and Kartik.
— Sasta Tridev (@sasttridev) September 20, 2022
Overall, India dropped three catches including that of Steve Smith, Green and Matthew Wade – all three of them made significant contributions in the Australian win as the tourists took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Chasing 209, Australia finished with 211/6 in 19.2 Overs.
The second match of the bilateral series will be played on Friday in Nagpur while the third and final contest is scheduled for Sunday in Hyderabad.
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