WATCH: Star player from Preity Zinta's Punjab Kings makes sensational debut, first after Ricky Ponting, David Warner to…
Australia came from behind to stun West Indies by three wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series at the Sabina Park in Kingston on Monday. The architect of the win was debutant and star cricketer from Preity Zinta's Punjab Kings team – Mitchell Owen.
The Tasmanian all-rounder making his international debut, smashed a half-century coming into bat at the number six position and also picked up a crucial wicket of Shai Hope when the Windies batter. Owen put on 80 runs for the 5th wicket off just 40 balls with all-rounder Cameron Green, who notched up 51 off 26 balls.
Owen was signed up by PBKS for Rs 3 crore as replacement for injured Glenn Maxwell in the IPL 2025 season. He only played in one match, scoring only 0. WATCH Mitchell Owen's brilliant fifty vs West Indies in 1st T20I match HERE…
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Thrown into the fire on debut, Mitchell Owen delivered a composed 50 (27) to steer Australia through a tricky chase #WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/FMwafMx07u
— FanCode (@FanCode) July 21, 2025
After being sent in to bat and making a flying start, the hosts West Indies were restricted to 189 for 8 after losing four wickets for five runs off the last nine balls. Australian left-arm pacer Ben Dwarshuis returned a career-best figures of 4 for 36 – taking three wickets in four deliveries — Jason Holder blocked a hat-trick ball but was out next delivery.
The top four West Indies batters all got starts, with all-rounder Roston Chase smashing 60 from 32 deliveries before he was caught in the deep off Dwarshuis bowling to end a 91-run second-wicket partnership with Shai Hope (55) in the 13th over. Mitchell Owen emulates Ricky Ponting, David Warner's feat
Owen, an allrounder who opened the batting for BBL 2025 champions Hobart Hurricanes, became the third Australian after Ricky Ponting and David Warner to score 50 on T20I debut. Ponting had scored 98 not out off 55 balls against New Zealand in 2005 while Warner had scored 89 off 43 balls against South Africa in Melbourne in 2009.
He went on to score 50 off 27 balls with 6 sixes before being dismissed by Alzarri Joseph with 15 runs needed to win.
'Firstly happy we got the win — it was nice to contribute. Just nice to be mentioned with those class players,' Owen said after the win.
The 23-year-old PBKS all-rounder's first scoring shot was a six straight down the ground off Andre Russell. He also clobbered the last ball of that over for six. Russell was playing in his second-last international match in his career after deciding to retire after the second T20I game vs Australia.
Owen hit three sixes in one over from Akeal Hosein that went for 20 runs and included a dropped catch when he was on 26. He also survived a very narrow miss on 42. Owen was at the non-striker's end and was out of his ground when Cameron Green hit a drive straight back down the pitch and it went through spinner Gudakesh Motie's hands and hit the stumps. After a long delay to check with ultra-edge technology, there was no evidence of any touch from Motie and umpires confirmed Owen was not out.
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