India and Australia meet in the first T20I at Manuka Oval tonight in Canberra. Australia skipper Mitch Marsh won the toss and decided to bowl first on the night.
Both teams have won eight of their last ten games, promising a close fight. For India, skipper Suryakumar Yadav will look to rediscover his batting touch after a lean patch in 2025, having scored just 100 runs in ten innings. However, his captaincy record—23 wins in 29 games—remains impressive.
India’s focus will be on solid preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup, with this series marking the start of their build-up. The bowling unit, led by Jasprit Bumrah and supported by Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel, will aim to control Australia’s power-hitters, including Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. For debutant Abhishek Sharma, adapting to the extra bounce will be key. With both sides in form, the opening clash promises an intriguing battle of skill and temperament.
India vs Australia 1st T20: Manuka Oval, Canberra pitch report
The Manuka Oval pitch in Canberra promises an even contest between bat and ball. It generally offers true bounce and value for shots, but the longer square boundaries keep bowlers in play. In the last 10 T20s here, the average first-innings total has been 156 at a run rate of 7.82, with spinners slightly outperforming pacers. Leg-spinners have been particularly effective, taking 26 wickets at an average of 20.3. While batters can score freely with timing, Canberra’s cool evening conditions and early-season freshness could assist seamers with movement and grip, making 160–170 a competitive first-innings total.
India vs Australia: Head-to-head stats in T20Is in Canberra
India and Australia have played just one T20I match against each other at the Manuka Oval in Canberra back on December 4, 2020. India batted first and, with the help of KL Rahul’s 51 and Ravindra Jadeja’s blistering 43, posted 161 for 7 on the board. In reply, India, with the help of T Natarajan and Yuzvendra Chahal’s three-wicket spells, restricted Australia to just 150 and walked away with a thrilling 11-run victory.
Recent T20I match at Canberra Stadium
The last men’s T20I match at Canberra Stadium was played on October 14, 2022, between Australia and England. The rain arrived before the start of the match and reduced it to a 12-overs-a-side game. England, batting first, put up a challenging total of 112 for 2 in 12 overs. In reply, Australia were 30 for 3 after 3.5 overs before the rain arrived again and washed the match away as a no result.
Canberra Stadium key T20I stats
Manuka Oval in Canberra has hosted 22 T20 Internationals, producing balanced contests for both batters and bowlers. Teams batting first have won 10 matches, while sides chasing have triumphed nine times, showing no major advantage either way. The average first-innings score stands at 150, with teams batting second averaging 126. The highest total recorded at the venue is 195/3 by South Africa Women against Thailand Women, while the lowest is 82 all out by Thailand Women in the same match. The highest successful chase is 181/6 by England Women against Australia Women, and the lowest defended total is 144 by England Women.
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