 |
| INDvAUS |
In an enthralling contest, India initiated their 2023 World Cup campaign with a resounding six-wicket victory over Australia in Chennai on a memorable Sunday. The match saw KL Rahul's brilliant return, with an unbeaten 97 runs from 115 balls, while Virat Kohli delivered a masterclass, amassing an impressive 85 runs from 116 balls. Their partnership of 165 runs in 215 balls for the fourth wicket played a pivotal role in steering India to victory, after the early loss of three wickets left them at 2-3 in just the second over. Ultimately, India chased down the 200-run target with an astonishing 9.4 overs to spare.
The Indian spin trio comprising Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, and Kuldeep Yadav also made significant contributions. They combined their prowess to restrict Australia to a meager total of 199 runs, taking all ten wickets in 49.3 overs. Notably, Ravindra Jadeja shone with his exceptional performance, claiming three wickets for a mere 28 runs, with two wickets coming in a single over. Kuldeep Yadav made his presence felt by securing two wickets, while Ravichandran Ashwin added another to the tally.
As the match progressed, the dew factor played its part and made it challenging for Australia's bowlers as India's chase gained momentum.
In a game where India was initially faced with a challenging situation, KL Rahul sealed the victory in style by smashing a six over extra cover against Pat Cummins. With his unbeaten innings of 97 runs from 115 balls, Rahul became the cornerstone of India's triumph, which they achieved with six wickets remaining. It was a splendid display of Rahul's batting prowess.
However, the game didn't start favorably for India. The Australian pacers, led by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, picked up three early wickets, sending India's top order back to the pavilion for a mere two runs. At that juncture, Adam Zampa seemed poised to capitalize on the early wickets, but things took a different turn. In his very first over, Rahul went after Zampa, hammering him for three boundaries. Zampa struggled to regain his footing and finished the game with figures of 0/53 in 8 overs. This proved to be a turning point in the match.
Virat Kohli's performance was significant, but he had a stroke of luck when Shaun Marsh dropped a catch when Kohli was at 12 runs off Hazlewood's delivery. Beyond that, the partnership between Kohli and Rahul was virtually flawless. They successfully navigated the initial burst from Australia's pacers, played Glenn Maxwell cautiously, and built their innings from that foundation. The duo consistently rotated the strike and reached their respective half-centuries, illustrating their cricketing excellence.
However, even after such a remarkable partnership, India faced a challenging situation, with Australia's premier bowler, Josh Hazlewood, stepping up to dismiss Virat Kohli. Kohli, in an attempt to take on the bowler, hit a powerful shot but saw the ball going straight into Marnus Labuschagne's hands at mid-wicket. At that point, India's total was 168/4 in 38 overs.
During the match, it became evident that some small fielding errors and a shift in Australia's body language indicated they had resigned to the inevitable outcome. While India's chase appeared to be a stroll in the park, the situation was much more challenging than it seemed at the start.
India's innings was a testament to their resilience and the ability of their star players to handle pressure situations. The team's ability to recover from an early setback and secure a resounding victory is a reflection of their determination and tenacity.
In the end, it was a match that showcased India's exceptional performance in both batting and bowling, marking a promising start to their campaign in the 2023 World Cup. India's supporters have plenty of reasons to be optimistic as the team demonstrated their ability to overcome adversity and secure victories under challenging conditions.
 |
| KL Rahul |
KL Rahul | Player of the Match:
(On walking out at 2/3) Quite honestly not a lot of conversation, I thought I’d get a good shower and get a break. I was just trying to get my breath back. Virat said there’s a bit in the wicket, so play like Test cricket for a while. There was a bit of help for the pacers with the new ball, and then the spinners also. In the last 15-20 overs, dew played a part and that helped quite a bit. The ball also skidded on better. However, it was a bit two-paced, it wasn’t the easiest of wickets to bat on and it wasn’t flat as well. It was a good cricket wicket, bit for the batters and the bowlers. That’s what you get in the south of India, especially Chennai. (On the last six) I hit it too well, I just calculated how to get to a 100 in the end. The only way for four and a six, but no qualms on not getting to that hundred.
 |
| KL And Virat Kohli |
Stats :
Spinners today
India: 6/104 in 30 overs (ER 3.46)
Aus: 0/86 in 16 overs (ER 5.37)
STAT: This is only the fourth loss for Australia in 19 World Cup matches in India.
Australia at Chennai in ODI World Cup
Won vs India, 1987
Won vs Zimbabwe, 1987
Won vs New Zealand, 1996
Lost vs India, 2023*
Highest scores for India vs Australia in ODI World Cup
117 - Shikhar Dhawan, The Oval, 2019
100* - Ajay Jadeja, The Oval, 1999
97* - KL Rahul, Chennai, 2023*
Most runs for India in ICC limited-over tournaments
2785 - Virat Kohli (64 Inns)*
2719 - Sachin Tendulkar (58)
2422 - Rohit Sharma (64)
1707 - Yuvraj Singh (62)
1671 - Sourav Ganguly (32)
Most 50+ scores as a non-opener in ODIs
113 - Virat Kohli*
112 - Kumar Sangakkara
109 - Ricky Ponting
102 - Jacques Kallis
Australia's opening match in this century:
2003 - Won vs PAK
2007 - Won vs SCO
2011 - Won vs ZIM
2015 - Won vs ENG
2019 - Won vs AFG
2023 - Lost vs IND*
India in WC opening match in this century:
2003 - Won vs NETH
2007 - Lost vs BAN
2011 - Won vs BAN
2015 - Won vs PAK
2019 - Won vs SA
2023 - Won vs AUS*
Where did Australia lose the game?
Australia's promising start to the game gave them an early advantage, with their pacers taking three crucial wickets. The conditions appeared perfect for Adam Zampa to make an impact as the only recognized spinner in the team. The new ball produced the much-needed wickets, primarily due to the exceptional performance of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. However, the turning point arrived when KL Rahul took charge against Zampa during his first over, hammering him for three boundaries. Zampa struggled to regain control, and despite the game being dominated by India's spinners, he ended with figures of 0/53 in 8 overs.
Another factor that contributed to Australia's downfall was the dew that descended as India's chase progressed. The increasing dew made it increasingly challenging for Australia's bowlers to grip the ball effectively and execute their plans.
Ultimately, losing the toss turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Rohit Sharma and the Indian team. Their strong performance, particularly the remarkable partnership between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, ensured that they overcame the early setbacks and secured a convincing victory.
In conclusion, Australia lost the game despite a promising start due to the inability to contain India's middle-order batsmen and adapt to the changing conditions during the match.
Thank you for visiting Cricketxpedia.com. We are committed to providing you with the latest updates and news articles. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.
