On this day: India take the first step in T20 International cricket
Cricket has come a long way since its inception in 1877. Back in that time, Test cricket was the only format, and the matches were played without any restriction of time. With the changing times, the concept of timeless tests was brought to an end and a 6-day duration was set for the matches. In the 1970s, the game of cricket witnessed a new format known as One Day Internationals, which came to the scene 94 years after the first Test was played.
India make their T20 debut
Another new format came to the scene in the new millennia in the form of T20 cricket – the shortest and the most exciting format of the gentleman’s game. The third prominent format of the game took only a little more than three decades as 20-over cricket made way in 2005.
On December 1, 2006, India played their first-ever T20 international against the Proteas at the Wanderers, and a brilliant and unbeaten 31-run knock from Dinesh Karthik led India to a thrilling penultimate-ball victory in their first-ever appearance in format. The bowlers did a marvellous job, with Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar picking 2 wickets each in their economic spells, whereas S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, and Sachin Tendulkar, who played his only T20I in this encounter, got one wicket each. For the hosts, Albie Morkel’s eventful knock of 27, which included three sixes, and Justin Kemp’s 22 were the only highlights in their 126-run innings.
Today in 2006: India played its first ever T20 international @ Johannesburg.
Beat South Africa by 6 wkts (1 ball remaining! ).
Dinesh Karthik was the MoM for his match winning 31* (28b).
India’s next T20I game came 10 months later – World T20 in Sept 2007, which they won! pic.twitter.com/Q2ZqTxNa3R— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 1, 2017
During the chase, a quick-fire 34 from Virender Sehwag and a composed 38 from Dinesh Mongia steadied the ship for India. The visitors were looking at ease until the miscommunication between Mongia and Sehwag led to an unfortunate run out of the latter and the 43-run stand, for the second wicket, came to an end. Another quick wicket of MS Dhoni, who was knocked over by Langveldt for a duck, meant the arrival of Dinesh Karthik alongside Mongia.
The Indian innings was more than halfway through, and they still required 51 runs from 53 balls – in the age of reasonably-sized bats and not-so-high batting standards. However, Karthik kept his head cool and added 37 runs for the fourth wicket with Mongia, who departed right at the stroke of victory when India needed only 19 runs to register a victory in their maiden T20I.
That is when a young Suresh Raina stepped in the middle and ensured giving back the strike to Karthik, who was timing the ball sweetly. India went on to clinch the target with 5 balls to spare, and Karthik was adjudged the Player of the Match for his crucial 31* with the bat.
