Hardik Pandya falls 10-short of a century, Adam Zampa brings Australia back into the game

As India pinned its entire hopes on Hardik Pandya to get the Men in Blue over the line in the first ODI against Australia, Adam Zampa and Mitchell Starc teamed up to shatter it all. The leg-break bowler's flighted delivery was enough to tempt Hardik Pandya to go for the big-hit which he missed by inches as Starc gobbled a simple catch calmly at long-on. Pandya's wicket not only made India's winning chances bleak but also denied the all-rounder of his maiden ODI ton. 

While Hazlewood shattered the Indian top-order, it was Zampa who ensured to bring Australia back into the game as Pandya-Dhawan seemed to take away the match. After Hazlewood's initial blitzkrieg, Dhawan and Pandya partnered to stitch a century-long stand. However, the duo could not take India over the line as Zampa had other plans. The spinner first dimissed Shikhar Dhawan for 74 runs and then grabbed Pandya's wicket while he was at 90. The spinner has so far bowled 8 overs and bagged 3 wickets while giving away 40 runs. 

Here's how netizens reacted to Pandya's knock: 

Australia started off the series with a bang as David Warner and Aaron Finch took Indian bowlers to the cleaners. Warners smashed 69 runs whereas skipper Finch notched up his 17th ODI century. However, it was Steve Smith who stole the show completely with 66-ball 105 and seemed to be in brilliant touch. Maxwell, who found it difficult to smash even a single six in the IPL, played a brilliant cameo of 45 runs off 19 balls as Australia set up a mammoth target of 374 runs. 

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