Aussies outclassed by in-form India

Australia's one-day international winning streak has ended at 10 games after India, led by a majestic century from Shikhar Dhawan, put on a clinical performance in their World Cup clash at The Oval on Sunday.

After India posted 5-352, the second highest total of the tournament to date, Australia struggled to keep up with an ever-mounting asking rate and then fell in a heap, losing 3-6 in six balls to sink to their first defeat of the tournament.

They were bowled out for 316 on the final ball of the innings, handing the No.2 ranked ODI side a comfortable 36-run win.

Dhawan, who scored 117 off 109 balls despite sustaining a thumb injury off a Pat Cummins lifter, and Rohit Sharma (57 off 70) put India on course with a 127-run opening partnership. 

Virat Kohli (82 off 77) then played second fiddle perfectly to big hitters Hardik Pandya (48 off 27 balls) and MS Dhoni (27 off 14) as India romped home in friendly batting conditions.

There was little joy for the Aussies with the ball at the death as they conceded 116 from the final 10 overs of the innings, while they were also left to rue wicketkeeper Alex Carey dropping Pandya off his first ball.

David Warner, who became the latest batsman to have a ball hit his stumps only for the bails to stay put, struck his second half-century of the tournament.

But his 84-ball 56 ranked as the slowest 50-plus score of his career and he departed with the asking rate approaching nine an over.

Steve Smith (69 off 70), who continued his good form after being promoted to No.3 ahead of Usman Khawaja, and Glenn Maxwell (28 off 14) smashed 28 off two overs to begin a late assault on their target.

But Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-50 off 10 overs) removed both Smith and his replacement Marcus Stoinis, for a second-ball duck, in the space of three balls to send the overwhelmingly India-supporting crowd into a frenzy.

Carey raced to a 25-ball half-century late on and finished unbeaten on 55 off just 35 deliveries, yet his knock was in vain as India's quicks Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah (3-61 off 10 overs) were terrific at the death.

Image Id: A9BCA9653BF44A76AA8DB9E03BA3EC9D Image Caption: Alex Carey raced to a 25-ball fifty in vain // Getty

Cummins (1-55 off 10 overs) finished as Australia's most frugal bowler, as leg-spinner Adam Zampa and Stoinis leaked 112 runs from 13 overs between them. Mitchell Starc (1-74 off 10) also came in for late punishment.

Nathan Coulter-Nile (1-63 off 10 overs), who kept his spot in the Australian XI despite forecasting his own axing earlier this week, had an eventful day out.

The Western Australian dropped what would have been an absolute screamer at mid-wicket off Rohit in the second over before he finally broke through for his first wicket of the tournament when the India opener edged behind to Carey.

Dhawan brought up a 95-ball century on an overthrow and looked like he might be settling in for a big one, before sub-fielder Nathan Lyon caught him on the square-leg boundary off Starc.

Stoinis (2-62 off seven overs) took a terrific one-handed catch off his own bowling to remove Dhoni, but the Indians played a series of breathtaking strokes in the closing overs, with their final tally behind only England (who posted 6-386 against Bangladesh) for the highest score of the tournament.

Image Id: DB0BFDF5E86D4099AF0AC5B03C866CF8 Image Caption: Stoinis held on to a one-handed stunner // Getty

Warner and Finch made a sedate start to Australia's chase, with the former going 14 balls without scoring, before the openers took 19 runs off a Pandya over to finish the Power Play.

Finch was left fuming when he was run out for 36 off 35 balls and was caught by the broadcaster aggressively swinging his bat when he entered the Australian dressing rooms. The Victorian hesitated when Warner called him back for a second run and Kedhar Jadhav's throw to the non-striker's end was pinpoint accurate.

It was the first time either of them has been run-out while opening the batting together in 51 innings, though that streak could have easily been broken earlier when Kohli missed a direct-hit opportunity with Finch on 10.

 

Image Id: 14E95C0FFDCF4D2BA9DBB524DBE4D43D Image Caption: An ecstatic Virat Kohli // Getty

The asking rate climbed and climbed as the Aussies hit just two boundaries between overs 10-20, despite Smith doing his best to keep it in check when he smacked Jadhav's first over for 14.

Warner aimed to do likewise when he was smartly caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Kumar two balls before the halfway mark of the innings.

Coming in with half of Australia's allotted 50 overs already bowled, Khawaja did his best in an unfamiliar role in scoring 42 off 39 deliveries before he directed an attempted ramp straight into his own stumps off Bumrah.

Maxwell exited courtesy of a well-judged outfield catch from sub-fielder Ravindra Jadeja, who stood in for Dhawan as the opener iced his thumb, with his departure all but ending Australia’s hopes of victory.

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.

India XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah.

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

June 9: Australia lost to India by 36 runs

June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

Sync Australia's World Cup schedule to your calendar HERE

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE