India vs Australia Live Score: First T20 match of series called off due to heavy rain in Canberra

The first T20I in Canberra has been washed out. Before the rains, we saw Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill treating fans to a brief display of fireworks. India raced to 97 for 1 in just 9.4 overs, with both batters shifting gears smartly after the initial rain break. Just as the innings was beginning to catch fire, the rain played a spoilsport. Match abandone, but a tantalising glimpse of what could’ve been.

The countdown timer for India’s batting is over, ESPNCricinfo reported. This means that when the match resumes, it will be Australia’s turn to bat. The match might get reduced to 9 overs. Awaiting official confirmation on this.

This spell of rain is heavy and that’s not a good news. Looks a lot like what happened at the start of ODI series. The first match was hit by rains and then reduced overs followed. This T20 match has already been shortened 18 overs. Need to see where it goes from here.

Ellis to SKY – and the first ball is sent to the ropes. A bouncer turned into a boundary. The skipper follows it up with another boundary. And Ellis lost the line here. Yorker goes for a big wide. Suryakumar in his form hits the next one for a sixer. And the rain once again halts play. IND 97/1 (9.4)

While big shots have come here and there, no boundary or sixer has come in the last two overs. There comes a biggie from Gill and it reaches comfortably into the stands for a sixer! It looked and sounded great. Kuhnemann’s over brings 12 runs. IND 82/1 (9)

Bartlett to Suryakumar Yadav – starts with a single. Oh he has been dropped. SKY dropped on 18 by Philippe on the third ball. Australia wish this doesn’t come back to haunt them! With a lost opportunity, this one brings 7 runs. IND 70/1 (8)

Stoinis throws his first over of the game. A cracking boundary comes from the bat of Shubman Gill on the fourth ball. The over brings in 10 runs in total. IND 53/1 (6)

Play resumes. Surya and Gill return on the crease. Here’s how it will be from here:

– 18 overs per side

– 3 bowlers to bowl 4 overs

– 2 bowlers to bowl 3 overs

Match to begin in about 15 minutes. The overs have been reduced to 18 for both sides after the rain.

Loud cheers erupt from the stands as the groundstaff spring into action. The covers are finally coming off, signaling that the rain has eased and play might resume shortly.

The drizzle continues, but it doesn’t look too serious – fans remain cheerful in the stands and the players seem relaxed, chatting and laughing in the dugout. It’s been about a 20-minute delay so far, and with the rain easing slightly, play could resume soon.

The match has been stopped due to rain, as a steady drizzle turns heavier in Canberra. It’s not a downpour, but enough to bring the players off the field for now. The covers are on, and everyone will be hoping the rain eases soon so the match can resume.

Hazlewood pitches it full outside off, and Suryakumar Yadav shows his class – walking across the stumps and flicking it effortlessly over square leg for a huge six. Pure elegance and timing from the Indian skipper!

Hazlewood strays on the pads, and Abhishek whips it over short fine leg with ease. Another boundary – he’s finding his rhythm now!

Hazlewood bowls it full and Gill drives it cleanly through the covers. The ball races away to the boundary – a lovely shot by Shubman Gill.

Bartlett bangs it in short and wide, and Abhishek wastes no time — throwing his bat at it with full control. The ball flies over point and lands just inside the ropes for a one-bounce four. Pure power and precision!

Hazlewood delivers once again, but this time Abhishek connects perfectly and sends it racing to the boundary for four. A confident stroke that releases some early pressure!

Both the teams have declared their playing XIs:

Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

Australia have won the toss and decided to ball first.

The conditions are cool and slightly overcast, with a healthy layer of grass on the surface ensuring the ball comes onto the bat smoothly. Pacers might find some lateral movement early on, while dew later in the evening could make things tricky for bowlers. Overall, it promises to be a fantastic track for batting.

The toss will take place in the next 15 minutes at 1:15 PM IST, the match will start at 1:45 PM IST. Stay tuned as we bring the latest updates right to your screens.

The rivalry between India and Australia has always been fierce, regardless of format. While Australia took the ODI series, India’s recent dominance in T20s, including an unbeaten Asia Cup run, makes this clash even more exciting to watch.

Head coach Andrew McDonald has backed Australia’s attacking batting template, which has seen them scoring at over 10 runs per over since 2024. The question is whether this fearless style will hold up against India’s disciplined bowlers.

India’s bowling combination will be interesting to watch. While Bumrah and Rana are certainties, the team must choose between the pace of Arshdeep Singh and the spin of Kuldeep Yadav, depending on the pitch and conditions.

For team Australia, Mitchell Owen will be the player to closely watch. His power-hitting in the ODI series turned heads smoothly and with the Manuka Oval offering batting-friendly conditions, he could be the game-changer again in today’s T201 clash in Canberra.

The spotlight will be on skipper Suryakumar Yadav. With the 2026 T20 World Cup just three months away, SKY will look to regain his form and confidence, leading India’s charge in the middle order.

India have been in stellar form in the shortest format, winning eight of their last ten matches. The team’s blend of young stars and established players gives them a strong edge heading into the series.

Cricket fans can catch the live telecast of the IND vs AUS 1st T20I on Star Sports Network in India. Live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.

Read this detailed copy for more info: When and where to watch this high stakes clash online

Mitchell Marsh will captain the Australian unit featuring power-hitters like Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Short, and Tim David. Their bowling attack is expected to include Hazlewood, Ellis, and Sangha.

Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side with Shubman Gill as his deputy. The expected playing XI includes Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, and either Arshdeep Singh or Kuldeep Yadav.