In an engaging encounter at Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium, India secured a dramatic six-wicket victory over Australia to kickstart their ICC Cricket World Cup campaign on a winning note.
The Indian chase of 200 got off to a nightmarish start, losing opener Ishan Kishan for a golden duck to Mitchell Starc in the first over. The early woes continued as Josh Hazlewood removed skipper Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer for ducks. With India at 2/3 in 2 overs, the situation looked dire.
However, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul showcased remarkable composure, painstakingly rebuilding the innings. At the end of the first powerplay, they stood at 27/3, mostly dealing in singles and doubles.
Their partnership steadily progressed, with both reaching their respective half-centuries. India reached the 100-run mark in 25.3 overs, with Virat notching his 67th ODI fifty in 75 balls, and KL achieving his 16th ODI fifty in 72 balls.
Virat and KL’s partnership of 165 runs was a turning point in the game. Kohli’s dismissal for 85 brought a brief pause to the proceedings, but KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya’s explosive batting saw India home.
KL Rahul remained unbeaten at 97* off 115 balls, with Hardik Pandya providing valuable support. India reached the target of 200 with six wickets in hand, ending at 201/4 in 41.2 overs.
In the first innings, Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja played a crucial role in restricting Australia to 199 runs. Jadeja took three wickets in his 10-over spell, conceding only 28 runs. Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah also chipped in with two wickets each, while Ravichandran Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, and Mohammed Siraj took one wicket each.
Australia’s innings was characterized by losing wickets at regular intervals, with Steve Smith and David Warner being the top scorers. However, they couldn’t propel Australia to a more challenging total.
In the end, India’s disciplined bowling and a composed partnership between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul set the stage for their thrilling victory over Australia in the World Cup opener.
ICC bans cricket fan ‘Jarvo’ from ICC World Cup 2023 matches after disruption in Chennai
Daniel Jarvis, also known as Jarvo 69, a cricket fan notable for breaching security and invading pitches during matches, has been banned from attending any of the matches of the ongoing ICC World Cup in India.
Jarvo 69, as he is known among cricket fans, invaded the pitch during the World Cup match between India and Australia at Chennai’s Chepauk stadium. But he was escorted by the security.
“The safety and security of everyone involved in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is our priority. We will work with the venue to understand what happened and consider if any additional security measures are required to prevent it from happening again. The individual concerned has been banned from attending any further games at the event and the matter is in the hands of the Indian authorities,” ICC said in a statement.
Notably, Jarvo also interrupted the action between India and England in the second and fourth Test of the series back in 2021.
Brief Scores:
- India: 201/4 in 41.2 overs (KL Rahul 97*, Virat Kohli 85, Josh Hazlewood 3/38)
- Australia: 199 (Steve Smith 46, David Warner 41, Ravindra Jadeja 3/28)
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