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Patna : England scored a thrilling 2 run victory over Australia in the 1st T20I at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, UK, on September 4, 2020, late night, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Fast bowler Jofra Archer and spinner Adil Rashid took two wickets each while Mark Wood took one wicket. England batsman Dawid Malan was declared Player of the Match for scoring 66 runs in 43 balls with 5 fours and 3 sixes. Australia had won the toss and opted to bowl.
Set a target of 163 runs, Australia could score only 160/6 in 20 overs even as openers : David Warner and Aaron Finch (Captain), added 98 runs in 66 balls for the first wicket. Warner scored 58 runs in 47 balls with 4 fours while Finch scored 46 runs in 32 balls hitting 7 fours and a six. Both fell to fast bowler Jofra Archer. Steven Smith fell to Adil Rashid for 18. All-rounder Glen Maxwell also fell to Rashid for 1. Alex Carey (wk) fell to Wood for 1 while spinner Ashton Agar was run out for 4. Marcus Stoinis remained unbeaten on 23 hitting a six.
Earlier batting first, England scored a modest 162/7 with opener Jos Buttler scoring 44 with 5 fours and 2 sixes while Dawid Malan scored 66 continuing his fine run. Malan fell to fast bowler Kane Richardson. Opener Jonny Bairstow fell to fast bowler Pat Cummins for 8 while Buttler fell to Agar for 66. Tom Banton also fell to Agar for 8 while captain Eoin Morgan fell to Maxwell for 5. Moen Ali also fell to Maxwell for 2 while Tom Curran fell to fast bowler Kane Richardson for 6. Chris Jordan remained unbeaten on 14. Maxwell, Agar, and Richardson took two wickets each.
The 2nd T20I is scheduled for September 6, 2020, while the 3rd T20I will be held on September 8, 2020.