PremiumIND vs AUS: KL Rahul smashes SIX amid Vande Mataram chants, India win by 6 wickets
Earlier in the match, Mitchell Starc dismissed Ishan Kishan, while Josh Hazlewood accounted for the dismissals of both Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer.
Last Updated: 10.18 PM, Oct 08, 2023
While it appeared that India had control of the game after restricting Australia to 199 runs, the situation took a dramatic turn, catching even KL Rahul off guard as he hurriedly prepared to enter the crease. The Men in Blue faced the early loss of three key wickets - Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer, all departing without scoring a run. So, where did Australia falter as India won by 6 wickets?
The Australian team might have underestimated the depth of India's batting lineup, as the Men in Blue still had the King, Virat Kohli, and a strong batting order to follow. Kohli and KL Rahul stepped up to stabilize the innings and exert pressure on the Australian side at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Kohli received a lifeline when Mitch Marsh dropped him on 12 off Josh Hazlewood, but apart from that, the partnership was impeccable. They weathered the early storm from the pacers, managed Glenn Maxwell's challenges, and took control from there. Both batsmen consistently kept the scoreboard ticking and reached their respective fifties, setting a record for the highest partnership for India against Australia in World Cup matches.
They could have finished the game, but Kohli perished while attempting to take on Australia's premier bowler, Hazlewood. However, Rahul remained at the crease until the end and scored the winning runs. Although he was just a few runs away from a century, he had a specific plan in mind with 5 runs needed for victory - hit a four and then follow it with a six. However, his timing was so precise that the ball sailed over the boundary rope, leaving him to sit and watch as it concluded the game with Rahul remaining unbeaten on 97. The entire Chepauk stadium echoed with chants of "Vande Mataram" as the team began their campaign with a win.
Earlier in the match, Mitchell Starc dismissed Ishan Kishan, while Josh Hazlewood accounted for the dismissals of both Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer.
In the first innings, Australia, choosing to bat first, encountered early struggles as they lost Mitch Marsh in the initial stages of the match. Despite the efforts of David Warner and Steve Smith to rebuild the innings, India achieved a crucial breakthrough with Warner's dismissal. Subsequently, the spinners took control of the match, with Ravindra Jadeja claiming three wickets and Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah securing two wickets each. Mohammed Siraj, R Ashwin, and Hardik Pandya also contributed with one wicket apiece.
On the Australian side, Steve Smith emerged as the top run-scorer, accumulating 46 runs, while David Warner (41), Marnus Labuschagne (27), and Mitchell Starc (28) attempted to boost the scoreboard but faced challenges along the way.