After losing the thrilling first T20I against the hosts Australia at The Gabba (Brisbane) on Wednesday, Indian skipper Virat Kohli felt Rishabh Pant’s dismissal was the game-changing moment.
While Australia scored 158/4 at the end of 17 overs in the rain-interrupted first innings, India had to chase 174 runs target in 17 overs after the target was adjusted with the DLS method. In reply, India had the ups and downs periods but it was strongly turned to their side in the end moment when Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik had a quick 51-run partnership for the fifth wicket
After Rishabh Pant was dismissed on 20 runs off 16 balls on the 16th over, India needed 18 runs in 9 balls and they failed to score those runs as they lost by just four runs. Dinesh Karthik’s brilliant 30 off 13 balls (4 fours and only six) finally went in vain.
Talking about their performance, the skipper Kohli said, “It was a close game, exciting one for the crowd to watch and for the players as well. Was a see-saw battle. We started well with the bat, fumbled in the middle overs, in the end we thought we’ll win with Pant and Karthik but it changed again with Pant’s dismissal.”
Chasing down the big target, most of the Indian top-order batsmen failed to challenge it, except the opener Shikhar Dhawan. The left-handed opening batsman Dhawan played his second consecutive T20I 50+ knock as he scored 76 off 42 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes. His knock helped India to stay in the game which was later carried by Pant-Karthik partnership.
Praising Dhawan’s impressive knock, Kohli said, “He’s (Dhawan) a very strong player at the top of the order. Hasn’t got a T20 hundred yet, but the way he plays it really benefits the team. That’s how it goes in the game. What we can do is learn from them (mistakes) and get back better. On the day, if we can have three-four guys to stand up for the team, that’s what we want. Don’t have much time to think of things, which can be a good thing as well as a bad thing.”
Meanwhile, the Australian skipper Aaron Finch is impressed with his team’s performances. He feels that their middle overs batting was brilliant as well Marcus Stoinis’ final over bowling too who defended the 13 runs by conceding only eight runs in that match-decisive over.
Finch said, “Thought the boys played really well, especially in the middle overs with the bat. Showed a lot of courage to take it on. Some of our bowling was outstanding under pressure. Never been my strong point at school (maths). Just stuffed it up out there (didn’t realise that two of his bowlers already had bowled four overs). He’s been practicing a lot (Stoinis). It’s one strength he wants to add to his bowling. Going with three frontline quicks, and one all-rounder in Stoinis, he is the one we wanted to do that job at the end. And he did it beautifully.”
