India kick-started their 2023 World Cup journey with a notable victory over Australia in Chennai this Sunday.
Starting their chase of 200 runs, things didn’t look good for India early on. They lost three quick wickets, with Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer not scoring. But then came Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. The duo paired up and built a strong 165-run partnership that shifted the match in India’s favor. Kohli scored 85 runs and by the time he got out, victory was nearly in sight. Rahul played till the end, scoring 97 runs, and India won with 52 balls to spare.
Earlier, Australia was stopped at 199 runs. Indian spin bowlers took six wickets in total. Fast bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, also played their part.
Here are three standout moments from the match:
1. Mitchell Starc’s Fastest 50 Wickets Record Mitchell Starc, Australia’s fast bowler, set a record by getting his 50th World Cup wicket in record time – only 941 balls. This makes him the quickest to this milestone. Before him, Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka held the record, achieving this in 1187 balls.
2. Kohli Surpasses Tendulkar’s Record Virat Kohli showcased his skills with a brilliant 85-run innings. This took his total runs in ICC limited-over tournaments to 2785, passing Sachin Tendulkar’s 2719 runs. Now, Kohli is the top Indian run-scorer in these tournaments. Others in the top 5 include Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, and Sourav Ganguly.
3. Australia’s Winning Streak in Chennai Ends It wasn’t the best day for Australia. Apart from their initial burst of wickets, they struggled throughout the match. This loss was also significant as it was their first World Cup defeat in Chennai. Before this, they had won three matches at this venue.
Looking ahead, both teams will be keen to learn from this game and fine-tune their strategies for upcoming matches.
