• Australia beat India by four wickets to go 1-0 up in three-match series.
• Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 71 off 30 balls.
• Fired India to 208-6, their highest score against Australia.

Australia and the current world number one, India, put up a high-scoring match that Australia won with four balls left to take a 1-0 lead.

Earlier, India’s imposing 208-6, their best score against Australia, came courtesy of Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 71 off 30 balls at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali.

Within five overs, the home team lost both Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma, but a 68-run partnership between KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav stabilised the innings.

India reached 86-2 at the midway point of their innings thanks to the contributions of Rahul (55) and Yadav (46).

India was in danger of losing the initiative after both players fell in rapid succession, but Pandya played a brilliant innings that featured five sixes and seven fours.

The all-rounder hit three sixes in the final Green over’s 21 runs as he blasted his way to a fifty in just 25 balls.

The best Australian bowler was Nathan Ellis (3-30), who also took two catches that Rohit and Rahul needed to be returned.

Australia’s Aaron Finch (22) signaled his purpose by hitting the first pitch of their inning for a six, but they were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

Prior to their top order crumbling, Australia reached 109-1 at the 10-over point thanks to Green’s four sixes, which he hit after a dropped catch.

Green was out after attempting a slog sweep against Axar Patel (3-17), and Umesh Yadav returned to dismiss Steve Smith (35) and Glenn Maxwell caught behind in the same over after allowing 16 runs in his first over.

Wade and Tim David turned the game around by coaxing 22 runs off Harshal Patel’s 18th over.

Singapore-born Wade continued to play and blasted 45 not out off 21 balls to secure the win after David left the game after making 18 on his Australia debut.

Three catches were lost by India, and they were left to regret their death-overs bowling.

The teams move to Nagpur for the second match on Friday.

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