The most awaited moment for Indian Cricket Fans arrived when Australia were set to play a game against India at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Australia won the important toss and elected to bat first. Fans gathered in huge numbers, and there were shouts of INDIA from every other corner of the ground. Jasprit Bumrah did exactly what he’s famous for. He sent back the in-form Mitchell Marsh on a duck as King Kohli took an exceptional catch at the first slip. Steve Smith joined David Warner in the middle. The pair started to get some runs from here and there. During the 7th over of the game, Warner was dropped by Hardik Pandya on just 5 runs. By the end of the first powerplay, Australia managed to survive the wrath of the Indian bowling unit by scoring 43 runs and losing no more wickets.
Australia was gaining momentum and that’s when Kuldeep Yadav (The Trump Card for India in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023) caught David Warner beautifully on his own delivery. David Warner scored 41 runs in 52 balls with the help of 6 fours. Smith was then joined by Marnus Labuschagne and the duo started doing what they’re best known for. The partnership was building but then came Sir Ravindra Jadeja. An absolute peach of a delivery landed on the middle stump, Smith tried to defend it but failed. The ball clipped the off stump and Smith was sent back to the pavilion on 46. This was the turning point of the match as Australia were 110-3 when Smith got out and they then were bowled out for just 199. Wickets kept on falling and it was a genuine effort from Starc and Cummins as they managed to add some odd 50 runs in the total of 199.
Ravindra Jadeja took 3 crucial wickets, Kuldeep and Bumrah bagged 2-2 wickets each and Ashwin, Siraj, and Pandya got 1 wicket too.
The target of 199 was not as difficult in the beginning as it became later. Since Shubman Gill was suffering from Dengue, India decided to open with Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Fans were hoping for some fireworks, but things went otherwise. India got the flashbacks for the 2019 semifinal as they lost the first 3 wickets on just 5 runs. Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer were sent back to the dugout for a duck.
India was in deep trouble and then came the saviours. Virat Kohli the chase master, and KL Rahul started taking singles and doubles and kept the scoreboard ticking. Virat Kohli tried to play a pull shot and terribly mistimed it. It was an easy catch, but Mitchell Marsh could not get a hold of it. The target of just 200 allowed the batters to take their time and play responsibly. Over after overs, they had every answer of the Australian attack, and soon both the batters reached their fifties.
Virat Kohli played in a similar fashion and completed his 67th ODI half-century in 75 balls with the help of three boundaries. Nasser Hussain once said “If there is one player in world cricket that you want in a run chase in any format, it is obviously Virat Kohli,” Hussain said on the ICC’s Digital Daily after day 4 of the WTC Final. “In run chases, in the history of the game, there is Virat Kohli, there is daylight, and then there is the rest. On the other hand, KL Rahul got to his half-century in 72 balls with the help of 5 cracking boundaries. Virat Kohli got out on 85, but it was too late for the Aussies to make a comeback.
KL Rahul then hit a six to win the game for India.
India won the game by 6 wickets with 52 balls left. KL Rahul was awarded Man of the Match for his unbeaten 97 in 115 balls with the help of 8 boundaries and 2 sixes.
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