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Filed under India's tour of South Africa. Twenty20 cricket

The first ever test match win for India came in the 25th test match they played against England at Chennai.

The first ever ODI win for Indian team came in the 5th match they played at Leeds but it wasn't against England. It was the 1975 World Cup and first ever One day International win for team India came against EAST AFRICA - a qualifier team in that first ever cricket World Cup.

We won that ODI by 10 wickets.

And now on 1st December 2006, World's most famous cricket team made their Twenty20 debut and registered a win straight away. Here's how it happened --

South Africa batted first after Greame Smith won the toss for the 4th time in 4 matches. Another common thing happened when Zaheer Khan got both the openers cheaply and reduced them to 31 for 2 in 6th over.

What followed was some disciplined seam bowling from Ajit Agarkar, S Sreesanth, and specially impressive Irfan Pathan. I was so impressed by the wat Irfan bowled that I have written this addition article - Thank you Wasim Akram.

South Africa never looked like taking charge against even Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh - and ended up with only 126 off their 20 overs.

Indian start was normal. Sachin tried a few shots and ultimately chopped one onto his stumps. But Virendra Sehwag - who was the captain of first ever Indian 20:20 International match, played his part with a nice 34. South African bowlers offered him a few outside off balls and he blasted 5 of them for fours and one for a six.

Sehwag's dismissal - run out because of Dinesh Mongia's bad call was very irritating. But the left handed made up for it by top scoring in the match ta- 38 off 45. Dinesh Mongia has played quite a few 20/20 matches for his English County team and showed the way to Indian middle order..

But the surprise package came from other Dinesh - Dinesh Karthik. He looked determined and surely proved the selectors right by making an unbeaten 31 and hitting the winning four.

You might wonder it was walk of cake match for India after they finished Proteas for a modest total, but the match was different. Indian team needed 9 off the last ball and that six by Dinesh Karthik was a hint of this man's talent.

Notes :

-:- Virendra Sehwag now has the honour of being the captain of first ever twenty20 match Indian team played, but he was just one day before demoted from Vice-captainship and VVS Laxman was appointed Rahul Dravid's deputy for the upcoming test series in south Africa.

-:- Ajit Agarkar bowled a maiden - the 6th over of SA's innings and became the third bowler to bowl a maiden in Twenty20. Mohammad Asif and Abdul Razzaq are the only two other bowlers to bowl a maiden in a history of 10 twenty20 International matches played so far.

-:- ESPN tried to talk to the on field captain - Virendra Sehwag, and then Greame smith and I have to say it was some experience. We cricket lovers have watched our players on the field so many times but someone talking to them in the middle field in the middle of match was some joy to feel.

-:- Zaheer got Graeme Smith fourth the 4th time in four Indian matches in South Africa so far. In cricketing terms, its called "Smith is bunny of Zaheer'.

-:- 18th over of the South Africa's innings had a free ball for Robin Peterson from Harbhajan, as a resuly of no ball bowled by the off spinner. The twenty20 rule for a free ball says that the batsman can't be out off that ball, other than run out. that's exactly how Peterson got out off the free ball from Harbhajan.

Bizarre isn't it??

-:- Dinesh Mongia's bat was broken into two piece by a ball from Tyron Henderson in the 11th over of Indian Innings. I've watched cricket for over 10 years but haven't seen a bat being broken exactly from the middle - right where the handle joint ends.

Have a look at the picture - there are two pieces of one bat in Mongia's hands..!!

India's tour of South Africa - The Schedule.

A history of India vs South Africa test matches

Indian squad for ODI series against South Africa

How to beat South Africa in South Africa.

Our batting must work in South Africa.

India vs South Africa series on ESPN & Star Sports.

All about "India vs South Africa 2006 Series".

Buy tickets for Ind v SA series 2006.

Team India lose to South Africa A.

Ind v RSA 1st ODI from 1800hrs IST.

Johannesburg Review : 1st ODI.

South African plans against our players.

The Durban Preview.

Indian team overwhelmed in 2nd ODI at Durban.

The Cape town preview

Indian team can still draw the ODI series.

India's first twenty20 International on 1st Dec

Bring Aakash Chopra back..!!

4th ODI Port Elizabeth : The Preview.

For a long jump, you've to take a few backward steps

Thank you Wasim Akram.

Indian team starts twenty20 career with win

South Africa recall Paul Adams : The Chinaman bowler

Sourav Ganguly's 83 redirect India : SA-A Practise match.

Give Kumble 350 runs : He'll win the test for us : 1st test Preview

You shouldn't be satisfied : Ind v SA 2nd test Preview.

Johannesburg win scripted Durban loss : Ind v SA 2nd test.

It's now or never : 3rd Ind vs RSA test match preview.

It's 50/50 with 3 days remaining : Ind v SA 3rd test, Day 2.

It's still 50/50 with 2 days to play : Ind v SA 3rd test Day 3.

156 runs & 8 wickets remain for last day : Cape town test, Day 4.

India's first twenty20 International on 1st Dec

Indian team starts twenty20 career with win

English humiliation starts : End v Aus KFC twenty20 Int'nl