Rohit Sharma-led India set unwanted record after failing to defend 208 in 1st T20I against Australia

India failed to defend a massive total of 208 runs as they suffered a four-wicket defeat in the first T20I against Australia at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on Tuesday (September 20). India produced a brilliant show with the bat but the bowlers failed to deliver as the Aussies went 1-0 up in the three-match series with a comfortable victory.

With the four-wicket defeat in the series-opener, the Men in Blue sipped to a new low as they became the first team to fail to defend 200-plus totals in T20Is at home more than once in a calendar year. India had earlier failed to defend a total of 211 runs in a T20I against South Africa at home under Rishabh Pant's captaincy.

Rohit Sharma & Co. are the only second team after South Africa among the full members of the ICC to have lost twice in a calendar year despite having posted a total in excess of 200 in a T20I match. Indian bowlers were taken to the cleaners on Tuesday as Australia gunned down the 209-run target with four balls to spare.

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Losing despite posting a 200-plus total

India - twice in 2022 (vs South Africa and Australia)

South Africa - twice in 2016 (vs Australia, England)

Also Read:Australia record highest T20I run-chase vs India, win Mohali run-feast by 4 wickets

Batting first in the series-opener, India lost captain Rohit Sharma cheaply on 11 off 9 balls before Virat Kohli too departed early managing just 2 runs off 7 balls. However, KL Rahul played a sublime knock of 35-ball 55 and was well supported by Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 46 off 25 balls as the duo added 68 runs for the third wicket.

Hardik Pandya then notched u a sensational cameo of 30-ball 71 laced with seven fours and five sixes to help India post a mammoth total of 208 runs on the board in 20 overs. It was India's highest-ever total in a T20I game against Australia and the bowlers were expected to defend it comfortably.

Also Read:KL Rahul becomes third-fastest to 2,000 T20I runs during blistering knock vs Australia in Mohali

However, Australia rode on opener Cameron Green's quickfire 61 off 30 deliveries and Matthew Wade's important cameo of 21-ball 45 to chase down the target with four balls to spare. The Aussies pulled off a record run chase and will be looking to continue the winning momentum in the second game of the series in Nagpur on Friday.