Pandya puts India ahead
All-rounder Hardik Pandya starred with the bat and ball to help India defeat Australia by 26 runs in the rain-hit opening one-day international in Chennai yesterday.
Chasing a revised target of 164 in 21 overs, the visitors were frustrated by wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav who shared five wickets between them. They ended on 137-9.
But it was Pandya's 66-ball 83 and two wickets that proved decisive in India taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Pandya put on a 118-run sixth-wicket stand with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (79), to lift India from a precarious 87-5 after electing to bat first.
Pacemen Jasprit Bumrah and Pandya combined to hurt Australia's hopes of chasing with three early strikes including skipper Steve Smith for one. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav got star opener David Warner caught behind for 25 as Australia's innings fell apart.
Leg-spinner Chahal ended with three wickets in his five overs. Pandya and Yadav took two each.
Earlier Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile made an impact with three wickets including that of Virat Kohli for nought, putting Indian in trouble at 11-3.
After Marcus Stoinis sent Rohit Sharma, who made 28, and Kedar Jadhav, who scored 40 packing, Dhoni made his innings with Pandya count.
Pandya then smashed Adam Zampa for a four and three successive sixes in an over to bring up his third ODI fifty.
Dhoni, taking over after the loss of Pandya, blasted some vital runs in the last five overs, adding 72 with number-eight Bhuvneshwar Kumar (32 not out).
The two teams now head to Kolkata's Eden Gardens for the second ODI on Thursday.
SCORES IN BRIEF
INDIA: 281 for 7 (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79, Jadhav 40; Coulter-Nile 3-44)
AUSTRALIA: 137 for 9 (Maxwell 39, Faulkner 32 not out, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)
Result: India won by 26 runs
Player-of-the-match: Hardik Pandya
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