01 September,2011 08:39 AM IST | | A Correspondent
Mumbai batsman's 39-ball 61 on debut goes in vain as hosts beat India by six wickets in T20 international
England ruined what would have otherwise been a dream debut for Mumbai and India batsman Ajinkya Rahane by beating the visitors by six wickets in yesterday's one-off Twenty20 International at Old Trafford. Rahane scored a superb 39-ball 61 (eight fours) as India won the toss and posted 165 all out in 19.4 overs.
Right: India's Ajinkya Rahane pulls one en route his 39-ball 61
The hosts did well to overcome the fall of opener Alex Hales' wicket off the second ball of their innings -- LBW to Praveen Kumar -- to chase down India's 165 with half an over to spare.u00a0After Wales fell, Kevin Pietersen took it upon himself to smack the Indian bowlers around the park. He slammed five fours for his 23-ball 33 before he was smartly stumped down the leg side by India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Virat Kohli.
However, that only made matters worse for India, as next man in -- Eoin Morganu00a0 -- took off from where Pietersen left. Morgan batted brilliantly hitting seven fours and a six for his 27-ball 49 before he was caught by Rohit Sharma. Morgan had done his job though, considering England needed 32 to win off 28 balls with six wickets in hand at the time he left the crease. A miserly 19th over by Munaf Patel, where he gave just three runs, made it an interesting equation in the end with England needing 10 off the last over, but two consecutive fours from Samit Patelu00a0 (25 not out) saw England through with three balls remaining. Ravi Bopara (31 not out) was the other unbeaten batsman for England.
Earlier, debutant Rahane displayed ample class when he got off the mark with a flick shot through cover-point after
The next over saw Rahane play a hook shot, a rare feature among Indian batsmen. He did survive a run-out in the fourth over, but played an almost flawless innings otherwise.
Rahane was in fine company of Rajasthan Royals teammate Rahul Dravid, appearing in his first and only T20 international. The duo added 65 runs for the second-wicket after Parthiv Patel fell to Jane Dernbach in the fifth over.
The vociferous Indian spectators were brought to their feet when Dravid struck Samit Patel for three consecutive sixes in the 11th over, until his soft dismissal off Ravi Bopara in the very next over. Rahane and Dravid had powered India to 101-1 at the end of 11overs.
Thereafter, England captain Stuart Broad struck twice -- removing Rahane and Virat Kohli -- in the space of three balls. Rohit Sharma was stumped off Graeme Swann in the next, and that led to Suresh Raina and skipper MS Dhoni consolidating the innings.
For England, Jane Dernbach and Graeme Swann finished with standout figures of 4-22 and 1-28 respectively. Dernbach triggered India's collapse from 106-2 to 165 all out. u00a0
