Sports Desk: India’s spin wizardry proved too hot to handle for Australia on Sunday as they were bundled out for a paltry 199 in the opening clash for both teams in this ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Later KL Rahul and Virat Kohli shone with the bat, stabilising India’s shocker of a start and ensuring a victory for the team.
India hunt down the target for a loss of only four wickets with Kohli scoring 85 runs while KL Rahul’s unbeaten 97 handed him the Player of the Match award.
Earlier, Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first at MA Chidambaram Stadium here. Things didn’t go as planned for the visitors, who were reeling at 119 for five in the 30th over. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (3/38) did the bulk of the damage with his middle-over blows. Steven Smith top-scored for the Aussies with 46 off 71 balls, while David Warner made 41 from 52 balls. This was the 150th ODI match between these two cricketing nations.
India spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin weaved the web around Australia never letting them have any control during their innings.
As India began their chase, it was a shocker of a start for the Men in Blue with Ishan Kishan, skipper Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer, all out on ducks. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then steadied the ship even though the former was provided a lifeline after Mitchell Marsh dropped a sitter. The duo added 165 runs for the fourth wicket which put India in control of the game and the victory was within touching distance after that. Team India, as such, has continued their match-winning form from the Asia Cup and the bilateral series with the Aussies that concluded just before the start of the World Cup.
Australia, on the other hand, was handed their six ODI defeat on Sunday in the last seven games they have played.