Australia has been set a 241-run target for victory in the World Cup final after India was bowled out for 240 at Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.
Courtesy of some excellent fielding and precise bowling, the Australians restricted India to a middling total in Ahmedabad despite an explosive blitz from opener Rohit Sharma.
MATCH CENTRE: World Cup Final, India vs Australia scorecard
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul anchored the innings with fifties before Australia’s quicks ripped through the middle order, unearthing some reverse swing during the death overs. Mitchell Starc snared three wickets, while captain Pat Cummins claimed two scalps during a superb spell, including the crucial dismissal of Kohli.
In response, Australia is currently 3-47 in the eighth over, with opener Travis Head (10*) and Marnus Labuschagne (0*) unbeaten in the middle.
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“ONE OF THE GREAT CATCHES!” | 00:43
Cummins won the toss and, to the surprise of many, elected to bowl first, citing the dew factor. The decision initially seemed to backfire when rival skipper Rohit Sharma feasted on Australia’s quicks during the Powerplay, blasting three sixes and four boundaries to get the hosts off to a flying start.
Starc created the first breakthrough of the afternoon, removing opener Shubman Gill in the fifth over for 4; the young gun slapped a short delivery directly towards mid-on, where Adam Zampa swallowed a regulation catch.
Sharma raced towards 47 before miscuing a lofted drive against Glenn Maxwell in the tenth over, with Travis Head taking a brilliant diving catch at cover to end the Indian captain’s onslaught. In the following over, Cummins nipped a delivery away from Shreyas Iyer, with the right-hander feathering a catch through to Josh Inglis with the gloves.
India was suddenly in a spot of bother at 3-81 in the eleventh over – but King Kohli remained.
Kohli and KL Rahul set about rebuilding the innings, combining for a 67-run partnership for the fourth wicket; the pair didn’t register a boundary for 97 consecutive deliveries as they patiently rotated the strike through the middle overs.
Warner falls for 7 in nightmare opening | 00:44
Kohli brought up a half-century, his ninth of the tournament, in 56 deliveries; he was in complete control, seemingly on track to repeat his semi-final heroics — until Cummins struck in the 29th over. The Australian captain produced a short ball that Kohli attempted to guide towards third man, but instead chopped back into his stumps. The crowd fell silent as he trudged back to the sheds for 54.
Rahul reached his half-century in 86 deliveries before Australia’s seamers began unearthing some reverse swing, with Hazlewood finding Ravindra Jadeja’s outside edge for 9. Shortly after, Rahul tickled a length delivery from Starc through to Inglis for 66, exposing India’s lengthy tail in the 42nd over.
Captain Cummins claims Kohli! | 00:31
The rest of the wickets toppled like dominoes – Mohammed Shami edged behind off Starc, Zampa trapped Jasprit Bumrah on the pads, and Suryakumar Yadav gloved a bouncer through to Inglis, who accepted his fifth catch of the innings, a record in World Cup finals.
The hosts crawled towards 240 all out, having only mustered four boundaries after the tenth over. It was the first time India had been bowled out in the tournament.
Australia’s run chase got off to a blistering start with 15 runs from the opening over, but David Warner didn’t survive a second; the veteran opener reached for a wide delivery from Shami, edging through to Kohli at first slip for 7. Not long after, Mitchell Marsh departed in almost identical fashion, fishing outside off stump and feathering a catch through to wicketkeeper KL Rahul for 15.
Starc Strikes first for Aussies in final | 00:38
India was in the box seat after Bumrah deceived Steve Smith with a perfectly-executed slower ball, trapping him on the pads for 4 — the New South Welshman didn’t call for a review, but replays confirmed he was struck outside the line of off stump.
Australia XI
David Warner, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
India XI
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
The match gets underway at 7.30pm from Narendra Modi Stadium.
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