Rain hit the Aussies win.

Rain hit the Aussies win.

Source: espncricinfo

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 on Sunday.

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 gritty 118-run sixth-wicket stand with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made 79, to lift India from a precarious 87-5 after electing to bat first.

In reply, the visitors had to wait for two hours to start their shortened chase as constant drizzle threatened to spoil the contest.


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1 min read
Published 18 September 2017 1:01pm
By Madhura Seneviratne
Source: espncricinfo


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