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Chennai – Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat first, and in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, Shubman Gill was unavailable for the hosts. Instead, Ishan Kishan will open in his place. This marks the tournament debut for both teams, and they are both eager to begin on a winning note.
Rohit Sharma is leading the Indian team and is in excellent batting form. He has a strong batting lineup that includes Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer. The Indian bowling attack is also formidable, with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Ravichandran Ashwin at the forefront.
Australia, led by Pat Cummins, boasts one of the world’s best bowling line-ups, including Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Adam Zampa. Their batting lineup is also strong, featuring David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith.
India began their chase of 200 runs on shaky ground, losing Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer without scoring. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have since held their ground as India cautiously approached the rest of the powerplay. Australia had won the toss and elected to bat in the hot and humid conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) in Chennai. Ishan Kishan replaced the unwell Shubman Gill in the Indian playing XI, and Ravichandran Ashwin also found a place in the team at his home ground.
Despite losing the toss, the Indian bowlers impressed and made it difficult for the Australian batsmen right from the start.
Except for David Warner (41) and Steve Smith (46), no other batsman could establish themselves on the Chepauk pitch, thanks to the Indian bowling attack. After 49.3 overs, the Australian batsmen managed only 199 runs before being bowled out. India now needs 200 runs to win at a rate of 4 runs per over.
Each Indian bowler displayed their skills, with Ravindra Jadeja being the most successful with 3 wickets. Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav took 2 wickets each, while Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, and Mohammed Siraj each claimed one wicket.
Before the match, Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed confidence in the team’s ability to face any challenge, citing motivated players and their recent victory in the Asia Cup 2023. India had also defeated Australia 2-1 in a recent home series.
India, currently the top-ranked ODI team in the world, appears well-rounded, despite having their two World Cup warm-up matches canceled due to rain. They have two of the best ODI batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, at the top of the order. Additionally, India has a wealth of quality spin options in Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, which will be advantageous in the spin-friendly conditions expected in Chepauk.
On the other hand, Australia, led by captain Pat Cummins, aims to continue their dominance in the ODI World Cup. Although their first warm-up game was washed out, they closely defeated Pakistan in a high-scoring match in Hyderabad.
In the clash against India, Australia will rely heavily on the leg-spin of Adam Zampa, with support from Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. In terms of pace bowling, it remains to be seen if Australia can field Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood in their playing XI at Chepauk.
Key Highlights:
- Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat first at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
- India went with a three-pronged spin attack at Chepauk, including Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav. Ashwin played his first World Cup match at his home ground.
- Shubman Gill, suffering from dengue fever, was replaced by Ishan Kishan, who opened the batting with skipper Rohit Sharma.
- Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Mitchell Marsh for a golden duck in the third over, with Australia at 5/1.
- Kuldeep Yadav removed the set batsman David Warner (41) in the 17th over when Australia’s score was 74 runs.
- Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Steve Smith (46) in the 28th over and later removed Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey in the same over, finishing with 3 wickets.
- Kuldeep Yadav also contributed by dismissing Glenn Maxwell (15) in the 35.5 over.
- Ravichandran Ashwin got Cameron Green out in the 37th over, caught by Hardik Pandya.
- Jasprit Bumrah removed Pat Cummins in the 43rd over when he came into the attack.
- Hardik Pandya took Adam Zampa’s wicket in the 49th over, while Mohammed Siraj picked up his first wicket of the 2023 World Cup by dismissing Mitchell Starc.
- Australia was bowled out for 199 runs in 49.3 overs, setting India a target of 200 runs at a required run rate of 4 per over.
- India had a shaky start, losing their top three batsmen, Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer, for ducks, reaching 18/3 in 6 overs, with KL Rahul and Virat Kohli at the crease.
- India was 27/3 at the end of 10 overs, with the first powerplay dominated by Australia.
- Virat Kohli and KL Rahul’s partnership shifted the game in India’s favor, and at the end of 20 overs, India was 80/3.
- Kohli and Rahul built a century-plus partnership, with India reaching 120/3 at the end of 30 overs, and both batsmen scoring half-centuries by this stage.
- Kohli was eventually dismissed after scoring 85 runs, with Josh Hazlewood taking his wicket.
- Hardik Pandya, batting at number 6, aimed to finish the game quickly and struck a six, India’s first in the innings. India reached 182/4 in 40 overs, needing only 18 runs to win in the final powerplay.
- India secured victory by six wickets, with KL Rahul smashing a six off Pat Cummins to seal the win, narrowly missing a century.
The match remains fluid, with ongoing developments, as the international community closely observes efforts to de-escalate and address the crisis.
