India vs Australia 1st T20I: KL Rahul becomes third Indian to complete 2000 runs in shortest format

India opener and vice-captain KL Rahul was in his elements on Tuesday as he scored a scintillating half-century against Australia in the opening T20I of the three-match series at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. Rahul smashed 55 off 35 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes) and anchored India’s innings after the early dismissals of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rahul, however, fell at the wrong time, a pick-up shot finding Nathan Ellis at deep square leg off Josh Hazlewood’s delivery. Notably, Rahul has become just the third Indian to have registered 20 or more fifties-plus scores in T20I cricket. He is behind Kohli (33) and Rohit (32) in this regard.

FIFTY for @klrahul 👏👏

A fine half-century for #TeamIndia vice-captain off 32 deliveries.

He also breaches the 2000 runs mark in T20Is.

Live - https://t.co/TTjqe4nsgt #INDvAUS @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/gkuyg11PiL

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 20, 2022

Also, in the process, Rahul completed 2,000 runs in T20 internationals. He now has 2,018 runs in 62 T20Is. He has a strike rate of 141.31 in T20I cricket. Interestingly, Rahul has become the third Indian batter to have slammed over 2,000 runs in T20I cricket. He is only behind Rohit (3,631) and Kohli (3,586) in terms of T20I runs among Indians. Rahul averages 39.56 in the format. Interestingly, Rahul is the third fastest to reach the 2000-run mark behind Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, who took 52 innings to reach the mark, and India’s former skipper Kohli, who did it in 56 innings. Meanwhile, India rode on Rahul’s fifty, Suryakumar Yadav’s 46 off 25 balls, and an unbeaten 71 by Hardik Pandya which came in just 30 deliveries, to score 208/6 in the allotted 20 overs after they were put to bat first by the visitors.