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Team India, on Thursday, faced a major defeat from Western Australia in their second and last warm-up fixture at W.A.C.A. Ground in Perth. The tourists suffered a shocking 35-🌠run loss after failing to chase down the target of 🐭169.
Bowling first, the Men in Blue started well as Arshdeep Singh drew the first blood in the form of Josh Philippe (8) when the team’s score read 15. However, then Nick Hobson and D’Arcy Short joined hands to bail out Western Australia.
Both Hobson and Short smashed their respective half-centuries in the contest and formed a crucial partnership of 🀅110 runs for the second wicket to put Australia in a decent position. While Hobson made 64 off 41, Short scored 52 from 38 as the hosts looked strong to cruise through a big total.
Before t♓he duo could capitalise further, the Indian bowlers brought back the visitors in the game by removing both Hobson and Short and thereby pi🥀cking regular wickets to restrict Western Australia to 168/8 in 20 overs.
Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the bowlers as the right-arm spinner picked up a brilliant three-wicket haul for 32 in his quota of 4 overs. Similarly, Harshal Patel also bagged𝓀 a couple of scalps for 27 in 4 overs.
In response, India kept losing wickets at regular intervals to eventually reach 132/8, losing the contest by 36 runs. Captain KL Rahul was the only major highlight in the Indian innings. The Karnataka stalwart did his best and scored a brilliant knock of 74 runs from 55 deliveries, including nine fours and two sixes, but he didn’t get enough support from other batters.
After Rahul, Hardik Pandya, with 17, was the second-highest run-getter in the Indian innings. For the hosts, Lance Morris and Matthew Kelly were the leading wicket takers. Both Morris (2/23) and Kelly (2/26) picked up a couple of wickets🔥 in the contest.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
That's that from the practice match against Western Australia.
They win by 36 runs.
KL Rahul 74 (55)
— BCCI (@BCCI)
Western✱ Australia beat Indians bꦆy 36 runs in the practice match today. The first time a regional team defeated Indian team in 20-over cricket.
The last instance in any form of cricket was when Kwa-Zulu Natal beat India in 2003 World Cup warmup match.
(Thanks @DeepakSarathy)— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Western Australia beat Iꦯndia by 36 runs in the𒆙 Warm-up match.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
India finish at 132-8, Western Australia beat India by 36 runs. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Virat෴ Kohli did not bat today
— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta)
India bowling vs Western Australia (162/8 in 20 ov) at Perth today
Bhuvneshwar 2-0-15-0 (7.50)
Arshdeep 3-0-25-1 (8.30)
Hardik 2-0-17-0 (8.50)
Hooda 2-0-22-0 (11.00)
Ashwin 4-0-32-3 (8.00)
Harshal 4-0-27-2 (6.80)
Axar 3-0-22-0 (7.30)— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
//twitter.comও/AvinashArya09/status/1580483786696818688
India fall well short in the end to finish on 8-132. 36-run defeat. Their batting struggled bar KL Rahul who made 74. Pandya next best wi൲th 17. Kohli and Rohit did not bat. Lance Morris was impressive with 2-23 off 4
— Tristan Lavalette (@trislavalette)
KL Rahul against Western Australia:
First 39 balls – 39 runs.
Last 16 balls – 35 runs.
– He scored 74 in 55 balls.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra)
★ K L Rahul today :
Runs – 74
Balls – 55
4s – 9
6s – 2
SR – 134.54★ Other batters today :
Runs – 48
Balls – 65
4s – 2
6s – 3
SR – 73.84Captain K L Rahul, the alone warrior! 🔥👏🏻 •
— Juman Sarma (@cool_rahulfan)
Wester♏n Australia stun 🀅India in practice match, win by 36 runs
— sports news (@CricketDeDaNaDa)
