In the fifth game of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, India beat Australia by six wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. With this victory, the two-time winners have opened their tally with two points in this premier multination tournament.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins opted to bat first on a typical Chepauk pitch, but the Indian bowlers were right on the money by restricting the Aussies to a low-par total of 199 runs in 49.3 overs.
While chasing the target, the Men-in-Blue had a very scary start, as the team lost three wickets within two runs in the form of Ishan Kishan, skipper Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer. Three of them got out on duck, but once again it was the man of the chases, Virat Kohli (85) who came to rescue the Indian innings, along with KL Rahul (97)*. Both of them built a partnership of 165 runs that helped the hosts to come into the driving seat in this match. The former Indian skipper showed his class once again in this chase. His Innings had scintillating six fours which were class apart. On the other hand, Rahul was at his best, as he was taking on the Australian bowlers with some command and grit. He scored 97 runs which had eight fours and two sixes. In the end, along with Hardik Pandya (11)*, the 31-year-old batter helped his unit to chase the target in 41.2 overs.
With the ball for Australia, Josh Hazlewood was the most successful bowler as he scalped three wickets. The left-arm pacer, Mitchell Starc got one wicket.
In the first innings, the Aussies did not have a terrific start as Mitchell Marsh got out on duck, and he was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah. However, David Warner (41) and Steve Smith (46) consolidated the innings and knit 69 runs partnership for the second wicket, before Warner got out by Kuldeep Yadav. But the Australian innings got derailed, all courtesy of Ravindra Jadeja, who triggered the collapse, and the innings got ended on 199 runs.
With the ball, Jadeja got three wickets, whereas Bumrah and Kuldeep got two wickets each. Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Hardik also claimed one wicket each.
For his gritty and formidable knock, KL Rahul was adjudged Player of the Match.
Scorecard:
Australia: 199/10, Overs 49.3, Steve Smith 46, Ravindra Jadeja 3/28
India: 201/4, Overs 41.2 , KL Rahul 97*, Josh Hazlewood 3/38