First T20 International: India lose to Australia by four runs
Brisbane, Nov 21: A sloppy India failed to get an ideal start to the Australia tour, losing the rain-hit opening T20 International by four runs at the Gabba here Wednesday.
India first faltered in the field, letting Australia score 158 for four after rain shortened the contest to 17 overs a side. Glenn Maxwell was the star batsman for Australia, hammering 46 runs off 24 balls.
The 45 minute rain stoppage meant India were set a revised target of 174 runs in 17 overs.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan smashed a sublime 76 off 42 balls in the run chase before Dinesh Karthik came up with a pulsating 30 off 13 balls towards the end but India still finished agonisingly short on 169 for seven.
It was a morale boosting win for Australia, who have endured a dismal run of late in limited overs cricket.
The second match of the three-match series will be played in Melbourne on Friday.
Dhawan got India off to a quick start, putting on 35 off 25 balls for the opening stand with Rohit Sharma (7).
The latter was caught at long on off Jason Behrendorff (1-43) in a bid to accelerate his strike-rate. In keeping with the strategy used during the T20I series in England, KL Rahul (13) came out to bat at number three.
Dhawan and Rahul put on 46 runs for the second wicket, but it was mostly down to the left-hander's belligerence. He hit ten fours and two sixes overall, and reached his ninth T20I half-century off only 28 balls.
Rahul though was patchy at best and struggled for timing. He was stumped off Adam Zampa (2-22) in the ninth over, with the leg spinner also accounting for skipper Virat Kohli (4) who never really got going coming down at number four.
Zampa should have had a third wicket but he dropped a return chance from Dhawan (on 65). The batsman enjoyed another life at 74, when substitute Nathan Coulter-Nile put him down at square leg off Billy Stanlake (1-27).
The asking rate was climbing up and it took a toll on Dhawan, who finally holed out of Stanlake, leaving Rishabh Pant (20 off 15 balls) and Karthik with a mountain to climb.
They nearly achieved the impossible, putting on 51 off a mere 24 balls, toying around with the Australian bowling. But what is becoming increasingly frustrating with Pant, he played yet another loose and unnecessary stroke, throwing his wicket away.
It left Karthik to finish off things, but he found the going tough without enough support from the other end. With 13 needed off 6 balls, Krunal Pandya (2) and Karthik holed out off consecutive deliveries off Marcus Stoinis (2-27).
This was after Maxwell hit four sixes in a whirlwind knock before rain came, after Chris Lynn scored 37 runs off 20 balls to help Australia recover from a slow start.
India had won the toss and opted to bowl on a surprisingly green wicket. Kuldeep Yadav was picked ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal as expected, while the hosts also included a spinner in Adam Zampa and left out medium pacer Coulter-Nile.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0-15) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-21) got India off to a good start but Aaron Finch (27) pulled things back a bit. Khaleel Ahmed (1-42) got the initial breakthough as D'Arcy Short (7) was caught at long on. The left-arm pacer proved expensive thereafter.
Kuldeep took a sensational catch running back to dismiss Short, and from there onwards, he had a marked influence on the game.
Later he also picked up 2-24 in his four-over spell. He dismissed Finch and then sent back Lynn as well, thus reducing Australia to 75-3 in the 11th over.
Apart from Yadav's stunning effort, India were rather poor in the field. Skipper Kohli had dropped Finch in the fourth over, a straight chance spilled at cover, and then miss fielded later on as well.
Ahmed too dropped Stoinis (33 not out off 19 balls) late in the Australian innings, while Maxwell should have been run-out.
Finch took advantage of the reprieve and put on 40 runs off 26 balls with Lynn for the second wicket.
But it was Maxwell who stole the show with his belligerent hitting as Australia crossed 150 in the 16th over. He put on 78 runs off 37 balls with Stoinis as Indian bowlers proved expensive even before the death overs began.
Krunal Pandya had a forgettable day with both bat and ball. He went for 0-55 in his four overs before rain intervened, sucking out momentum from the Australian innings and leaving them only five deliveries on resumption of play.
Bumrah bowled cleverly, conceding only five runs after the disruption, while Australia still finished with a challenging total on the board.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cabinet reshuffle is CM's prerogative in consultation with Cong high command: G Parameshwara
Bengaluru(PTI): Amid speculation that a cabinet reshuffle was on the cards, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister and he would take a decision in consultation with the state Congress President and the high command.
Deputy CM and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar's statement on Tuesday indicating the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle in the days ahead, noting that few Ministers have been given a "message" about their term, has further fueled the speculations about the rejig.
"I don't know about it. Cabinet reshuffle is the Chief Minister's prerogative. He will consult the Pradesh Congress Committee President and go about it, this has been the practice. I don't know what decisions they make. It has to be done in consultation with the high command," Parameshwara told reporters.
To a question on Shivakumar's statement, he said, "He (Shivakumar) is the party state President, I don't know what messages he has sent (to some Ministers)."
Speculations are rife about a cabinet reshuffle and evaluation of the performance of the Ministers ever since the Lok Sabha poll results. There has also been demand from a section of MLAs, who are Ministerial aspirants, to be inducted into the cabinet. Some have openly expressed their wish to become Ministers.
To a question on a seer's comments that the voting rights of Muslims should be revoked, the Home Minister said, making remarks contrary to the Constitution is not right, and no one should speak or go against it.
"Probably he (seer) has not properly seen the principles of the Constitution and the rights and opportunities provided in it for every community and religion. It is clear in the Constitution," he said.
Asked about Congress MLA H R Gaviyappa publicly asking the CM to drop at least two of the five ‘guarantee’ schemes to provide money for development works, the state Home Minister said, "Any legislator asking for funds to his constituency is not wrong, so Gaviyappa is not wrong in asking for funds for his constituency."
"But unfortunately he has expressed his personal opinion regarding the guarantee schemes. That has been taken by the party and the government. We had promised the people of the state that we will full the promises, so we are implementing them. We cannot go back on that," he added.
Deputy CM Shivakumar had on Tuesday said he would issue a showcause notice to Gaviyappa and warned party leaders against making such statements regarding guarantee schemes.
Responding to a question on an Assamese girl found murdered at a serviced apartment in east Bengaluru, Parameshwra said such incidents in a way bring bad name to the city.
"It (alleged murder) is on very personal grounds. Both of them (suspect and victim) knew each other and were in love. They had stayed in a hotel room and he has stabbed her there. Both of them are outsiders. She is from Assam and he is from Kerala. Police keep watch on such things, but when such incidents occur, it in a way brings a bad name to the city," he said.
Asked about the suicide of a woman, who is a suspect in the alleged scam in Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation, the Minister said investigation is on, can't say anything further until the probe is over.
On the protest by prisoners against the jail authorities at Kalaburagi central prison, alleging lack of facilities there, Parameshwara said he will speak to DG (Director General) Prisons about it.
"Already we have reviewed all the jails. If there are any necessities there it will be fulfilled. I will give instructions to the DG," he said.
