India beat Australia by two wickets in first T20 cricket match

Stand-in T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav scored 80 runs from 42 balls as India completed a thrilling last-ball win in the first T20 international match against Australia in Visakhapatnam.

The match went down to the last ball as the hosts chased the 209-run target in 20 overs, led by a belligerent innings from their captain, to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series on Thursday.

Lower-order batter Rinku Singh held his nerve to hit the winning runs off the last ball after India lost three wickets in the final over.

The teams met four days after the Cricket World Cup final that Australia won by six wickets and fielded a handful of players from the match in Ahmedabad.

Suryakumar smashed nine fours and four sixes on his captaincy debut for India and formed a 112-run third-wicket stand with Ishan Kishan, who smashed a 39-ball 58 that proved key after the hosts lost their openers on 22.

Rinku, a left-hand batter, smashed a six that was not counted as the run off Sean Abbott’s no-ball got India past their previous best chase of 208 against the West Indies in 2019.

Earlier, Josh Inglis smashed 110 off 50 balls – his maiden international century – to guide Australia to 208-3 after being invited to bat first on a batting-friendly pitch.

Australia lost an early wicket before Inglis joined Steve Smith, who made 52 before being run out, to hammer 130 runs off 67 balls in a blistering partnership.

Inglis raised his fifty off 29 balls and completed his hundred in 47 balls as he jumped and punched the air and the Australian dressing room stood up to applaud. He finally fell to fast bowler Prasidh Krishna after his knock laced with 11 fours and eight sixes.

Australia, led by Matthew Wade, rested many of their ODI stars – including Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa – as they plan for the T20 World Cup in June.