1st T20 UPDATES: Match called off after persistent rain

Wed, 29 October 2025

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16:33

Match called off after persistent rain

India 97-1 (9.4 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

The match has officially been called off - the first T20I ends in a washout.

Despite the rain, there were some bright moments for India, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill playing a few sparkling strokes as the visitors raced to 97 for 1 in 9.4 overs before the weather had the final say. But rain prevents any further cricket today in Canberra.

16:20

Rain threatens to wash out play in Canberra

It's still raining in Canberra, though there remains a slim chance of squeezing in a 5-over contest. The ground staff would, however, need at least 30 minutes to get conditions match-ready once the rain stops.

For now, there's no activity around the ground, and if the weather doesn't improve in the next half hour or so, we may not have any play tonight.

16:01

Overs lost as rain delays play again

India 97-1 (9.4 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

The rain continues to fall steadily in Canberra, with the entire square now under covers as we keep losing precious overs.

Hopefully the weather clears up soon so we can get some more cricket action.

15:27

Rain halts India's momentum after Gill, SKY blitz

India 97-1 (9.4 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

Kuhnemann continues. Gill starts with a neat sweep for a single. SKY finds the gap through the covers and collects a couple - these two are rotating strike beautifully.

Gill then gives himself some room and launches the final ball high and handsome over long-on for a massive six!

Twelve runs from the over - after nine overs, India are cruising at 82 for 1.Another bowling change - Nathan Ellis returns to the attack. Suryakumar Yadav welcomes him in style, driving the first ball for four! He follows it up with another boundary - back-to-back hits to keep the momentum going.

After a wide, SKY goes big again - this time launching a six over deep square leg! Ellis fires in a yorker next, and SKY can't connect.

But just as the crowd starts buzzing again, the rain returns. The players are walking off the field as the drizzle turns heavier once more.

15:16

Dropped SKY catch can haunt Aussies

India 70-1 (8 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

Matthew Kuhnemann comes into the attack. Gill greets him with a firm slap to deep midwicket for a couple, then follows it up with a quick single. SKY defends one before freeing his arms, cracking a boundary past cover! He then cuts to point for another sharp single. Gill finds the gap once again to end the over with two more runs. Ten off it, after seven overs, India are 63 for 1.

Xavier Bartlett returns. SKY and Gill rotate strike early, picking up a single each. Then SKY goes aerial, straight over the bowler's head! Philippe runs back but spills it - SKY gets a life on 18! The pair continue to work the gaps for a few easy singles. A dot to finish the over.

Seven runs from it - after eight overs, India move to 70 for 1.

15:05

50 comes up for India

India 53-1 (6 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

Gill and Suryakumar Yadav walk back out to resume play as Stoinis finally gets his first over underway.

SKY gets things moving with a gentle nudge for a single. Gill follows with one of his own, guiding it fine. SKY tucks another delivery to deep midwicket, thinks about two but settles for one.

Then comes the big shot- Gill spots a full toss and slams it through the covers for four! That boundary also brings up India's fifty. He follows up with a quick single, and SKY finishes the over with a couple more.

Ten runs from it - after six overs, India are 53 for 1.

14:59

Match cut to 18 overs a side

India 43-1 (5 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

The commentators inform us that it's lights out at 23:00 local time in the area surrounding the ground, which means we won't be able to complete a full game despite the brief rain interruption. The contest has now been shortened to 18 overs per side.

The powerplay will last 5.2 overs, meaning India still have two deliveries remaining with the fielding restrictions in place.

Three bowlers can deliver up to four overs each, while two others will be restricted to three overs apiece.

14:58

Covers coming off, play set to resume

India 43-1 (5 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

The ground staff spring into action as the covers come off.

The umpires are out for an inspection, taking a close look at the surface. Conditions look promising - a restart is just moments away.

14:20

Rain halts play, covers come on in Canberra

India 43-1 (5 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

Hazlewood returns for his third over in the powerplay. He begins with a sharp bouncer - Suryakumar Yadav ducks under it comfortably.

Next ball, SKY looks to drive straight down the ground but is beaten by the movement. And then - boom! He picks up the short ball and sends it sailing over deep square leg for six! Vintage SKY - up and running in Canberra. He follows up with a straight drive, but finds the fielder. Another jab goes straight to point before he picks up a single to end the over.

Seven runs from it. After five overs, India are 43 for 1.

It's been drizzling lightly in Canberra, but the rain has now started to pick up. The umpires have decided to halt play as the drizzle turns heavier.

The covers are being rushed onto the field and players head off the field. The ground staff moving swiftly to protect the pitch.

14:10

Ellis strikes! Abhishek departs for 19

India 36-1 (4 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

Hazlewood continues. Gill charges down the track and swings across the line, gets a thick top edge that sails over the keeper's head, his first boundary! Hazlewood can only shake his head in disbelief.

Next ball, Gill defends solidly. A misfield from Stoinis at point allows a single - that's twice now he's been sloppy in the field, and Hazlewood doesn't look pleased.

Abhishek punches one straight to the fielder. Then comes a sharp bouncer - he sways out of the way as the keeper leaps to collect it cleanly.Short again, but this time Abhishek whips it over short fine leg - four runs!

Nine from the over. After three overs, India are 26 without loss.

Nathan Ellis comes into the attack, and Shubman Gill greets him with a crisp boundary to start.

Next ball - rapped on the pads! Huge shout for LBW, but the umpire says not out. It looks close, and Marsh sends it upstairs. The replay shows it's umpire's call, just clipping the leg bail - Gill survives! A lucky escape.

He makes the most of it right away, driving straight down the ground for another four, then follows up with a quick single.

Abhishek Sharma, though, falls at the other end! He mistimes one and is caught by Tim David. Gone for 19 off 15 balls.

A much-needed breakthrough for Australia - Ellis' change of pace does the trick just as India were building momentum.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav is the new batter and he is off the mark with a single.

13:59

India off to a good start

India 17-0 (2 Ovs) vs Aus | SCORECARD

The Australian players take the field as Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill stride out to open for India. Josh Hazlewood has the new ball in hand, one slip and a gully in place.

First ball, Abhishek charges down straightaway! Ends up steering it towards cover-point, no run. A brief pause in play now, both batters are in discussion with the umpires. Looks like an issue with the sightscreen.

Play resumes. Abhishek stays deep in his crease this time and lofts it just over mid-on - lands safely, they run two. He swings hard at the next delivery and misses, that's his fearless style. A single follows as Stoinis fumbles at point.

Gill gets off the mark with a nudge to the leg side. And Abhishek finishes the over in style, cracking the last ball through the covers for four!

Eight runs from the opening over - India 8 without loss.

Xavier Bartlett takes up the attack from the other end. Gill tucks the first ball neatly through backward square, easy single.

Abhishek is in no mood to wait. He slaps the next delivery past point for four! Bartlett goes wider, Abhishek swings hard and misses.

Short ball next, Abhishek stands tall and pulls it powerfully over midwicket for another boundary! Tries to swing again but cant connect. One more big heave, one more miss.

Nine runs off the over- after two overs, India are 17 without loss.

13:27

Aus elect to bowl; India pick 3 spinners

Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the first three T20Is because of an injury. Sanju Samson keeps his place as the wicketkeeper-middle order batter ahead of Jitesh Sharma.

Check out the playing XIs:

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (Captain), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (w/k), Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood.

India: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (w/k), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

13:27

Nitish ruled out of first 3 T20s

India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the first three T20Is against Australia because of an injury.

'Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out for the first three T20Is. The all-rounder who was recovering from his left quadriceps injury sustained during the second ODI in Adelaide, complained of neck spasms, which has impacted his recovery and mobility. The BCCI Medical Team is monitoring his progress,' said BCCI in a statement.

13:20

Aus elect to bowl; India pick 3 spinners

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh has won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the first T20 International in Canberrra.

"We would have also bowled first. There have not been many games played here, it might get slower later on," said Suryakumar Yadav at the toss.

India have gone in with three spinners in Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, while Harshit Rana is picked as the second pacer ahead of Arshdeep Singh.

13:14

'A great wicket to bat on'

Pitch Report:

Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel in his pitch report states that there is a nice cover of grass but it is not lively so the ball will come on to the bat nicely. There will be some dew later on but it will be a great wicket to bat on.

13:06

Surya's form a concern for Team India

Captain Suryakumar Yadav's form is a concern for India going into the Australia series. This year he has struggled to deliver the goods with the bat, scoring 100 runs in 12 matches at an average of 11.11 and a strike rate of 105.26 without a single fifty.

Infact, he has managed just three sixes from 11 innings this year.

India will be hoping their skipper can turn around his form in Australia, but his task won't be easy against the power-packed Australian bowling attack, who are quite good in their own conditions.

12:31

Confident India eye winning start vs Aus

Welcome to the coverage of the first T20 International between Australia and India at the Manuka Oval, in Canberra, on Wednesday.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav will be aiming to get back among the runs with Team India looking to continue their superb run in T20 cricket when they take on Australia in the series opener.

India, on the back of their splendid showing in T20 cricket in recent years, including winning the World T20 and Asia Cup titles within 15 months, plus their overall superior head to head record against Australia start as the favourites.

India enjoy a superior head to head record against Australia in T20 Internationals, with 20 victories from 32 games, while Australia have won 11, with one abandoned due to rain.

Amazingly, two-time World champions India -- the all-conquering team in the T20 format -- have not lost a single T20 International series in the last two years.

Since being appointed captain, Suryakumar's record has been phenomenal in terms of results, with 23 wins in 29 games so far, adhering to the new template of fearless cricket where every batter goes all guns blazing from ball one.

The aggression at all costs and Surya's own leadership skills have worked really well with an all-win bilateral series record and the Asia Cup triumph.

The Australia series marks the beginning of India's real preparation going into the T20 World Cup early next year with 15 games to get into the groove.

For someone like Abhishek Sharma, who became the toast of the nation in Asia Cup, tackling the extra bounce on Australian pitches will be a new challenge and hence skipper's contribution becomes all the more important.

In terms of bowling attack, Jasprit Bumrah's presence and Varun Chakravarthy's guile will be the important factors if Indian batters can put up a decent score.

The 12 overs from Varun, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will be very important alongside Bumrah and Arshdeep's opening spells against Travis Head and the dangerous Mitchell Marsh.

All eyes will also be on Mitchell Owen, Australia's new T20 star who played a game for Punjab Kings last year. Owen was terrific against India in a recent ODI in Adelaide but possibility of facing 12 overs of slow bowling will definitely test his hitting skills.

1st T20 UPDATES: Match called off after persistent rain

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