The opening One Day International (ODI) between India and Australia kicked off today in Mohali, showcasing a thrilling display of cricketing prowess from both teams. India largely dominated the match, but the Australians staged a late-game comeback. In the earlier stages, India won the toss and elected to field.
The Australian team, donned in yellow, faced an early setback as their captain, Mitchell Marsh, fell victim to a sensational delivery by Mohammed Shami, scoring a mere 4 runs. Nevertheless, David Warner and Steve Smith steadied the ship with a resilient partnership, amassing 94 runs for the second wicket. David Warner particularly shone with a half-century, accumulating 52 runs before succumbing to Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling.
Mohammed Shami once again delivered a remarkable ball, dismantling Smith’s stumps, resulting in Australia’s top batter departing after scoring 41. Indian players, namely KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, faced criticism for their lackluster fielding efforts throughout the match. KL Rahul’s performance as a wicketkeeper had been below par, highlighted by a missed run-out opportunity in an attempt to dismiss Marnus Labuschagne.
In the 40th over, Cameron Green ventured down the track to attempt a boundary off Mohammed Shami, but the ball stayed low, causing Green to nudge it behind the stumps. KL Rahul’s fumble, although unintentional, proved beneficial as it resulted in the dismissal of Cameron Green. A mix-up between Josh Inglis and Cameron Green further added to Australia’s woes, leading to Green’s run-out.
ICYMI
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 22, 2023
Direct-Hit Alert!
Confusion in the middle & @surya_14kumar gets the throw right to dismiss Cameron Green.#TeamIndia | #INDvAUS | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/Alg6Avxyif
For the majority of the game, Team India maintained the upper hand over Australia, up until the 42nd over when the visitors escalated their scoring rate at a rapid pace. In the end, the Australian team was bowled out for a total of 276. Australian skipper Pat Cummins made a significant contribution with a quickfire cameo, amassing 21 runs off just 9 balls, including 2 fours and a six. Mohammed Shami emerged as the chief tormentor for India, registering impressive figures of 5/51 in his allotted 10 overs.