Srinagar: Australia wicketkeeper batter Matthew Wade once again shined as Australia beat India by four wickets to take 1-0 lead in the T20I series at Mohali on Tuesday.
Wade’s unbeaten 45 off 21 guided the visitors to chase down India’s 209 runs with four balls remaining.
All-rounder Cameron Green, who replaced David Warner for the India tour, smashed 61 off 30 balls to provide impetus to the visitors in the opening game.
The right-hand all-rounder stitched a 70-run partnership with Steve Smith before he was caught by Virat Kohli off Axar Patel.
Smith with 35 off 25 departed in the next over followed by Glenn Maxwell’s wicket in the same over for one.
But Wade displayed a powerful batting performance, hitting six fours and two sixes helping the visitors to chase down the target in the 19th over.
Tim David, who made his Twenty20 debut, scored 18 off 14 balls while Josh Inglis made 17 off 10 balls, with Pat Cummins hitting the winning four off Yuzvendra Chahal.
Patel’s return of figures of 3 for 17 while Umesh Yadav took 2 wickets for 27.
Earlier Australia won the toss and opted to field in the opening match, with India’s Hardik Pandya smashing a rapid 71 not out to post a challenging total of 208-6 against the visitors.