Hardik Pandya’s all-round flamboyance complemented by MS Dhoni’s customary calm enabled India to record a comfortable 26-run win over Australia in the rain-curtailed opening ODI of the five-match series in Chennai.
Courtesy Pandya’s blistering career-best 66-ball 83 and Dhoni’s 79 off 88 balls, India posted a competitive 281 for seven despite losing the top half for less than 100 after opting to bat.
However intermittent showers during the break played spoilsport as Australia were set a rev⛄ised target of 164 off 💯21 overs via Duckworth-Lewis method.
Chasing the target, Australia d🐲id not have ﷺthe best of starts and kept losing wickets at regular intervals with Pandya (2/28) helping himself with a couple of wickets.
The young wrist spinners — Kuldeep Yadav (2/33) and Yuzvendra Chahal (3/30) then ran through the middle and lower order as India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Here are some of the amazing Twitter reactions from cricketers and celebrities in praise of Pandya, Dhoni and others:
you are gangsta 🙌🏽
— shibani dandekar (@shibanidandekar)
Congratulations India on a wonderful victory.KungFu Pand🌺ya,Cꦆhahal were brilliant and MS Dhoni as always showing the stuff that he is made of
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
Incredible recovery & a smashing win by India! & are true cha🥀mps!♋ What a great game!!
— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor)
Big win guys🇮🇳 vs top batting &🎉 young spinners keep up the good work👏👏
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
showing h🅷e has a good head on those strong shoulders.
— Sundar Raman (@ramansundar)
Have said it before n will repeat, arrival of is a game changer for Indian cricket. Hope he's managed well.
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7)
//twitter.com/MoeenAli/status/909373059970273280
Wooopp , you star!
— Shirley Setia (@ShirleySetia)
A power packed performance! Super proud of your play tonight … congratulations!
— Kinita Kadakia Patel (@KSKadakia)
What an incredible win team India! Kudos
— Nikita Dutta (@nikifyinglife)
What a comeback win. India༒n team, Grit that champions are made of. Special innings & Mahi Bhai Congrats.
— Ishant Sharma (@ImIshant)
Very impressive win from 🇮🇳🏏
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23)
great knock buddy….
— ATR (@RayuduAmbati)
Congrats IN𝓀DIA 🇮🇳 on going 1-0 up w🉐ith a super victory. Great performances by bhai, , n 👏👍
— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj)
Great way to start the series boys! Congrats Expecting more fireworkౠs during the rest of the series
— Murali Vijay (@mvj888)
Well played & Iceman . Series looks like a fantastic contest. India 1-0 up. Congrats
IMG: IE— Robin Aiyuda Uthappa (@robbieuthappa)
Brilliant batting by bha🌳i and . Congrats Mahi bhai for 100 fifties. Hoping r𝓡ain relents so we can go for a win 👍🏻
&mda🥀sh; SAYYED IQBAL ABDULLAH (SIA) (@iqqiabdullah)
