India vs Australia ICC CWC 2023

India vs Australia ICC CWC 2023 Match 5 Report: In the highly anticipated match between India and Australia in the ICC CWC 2023, India found themselves in a tight spot early on. The opening struggles of the Indian team, trying to capitalize on the initial advantage of the softball, resulted in the loss of three wickets with just 2 runs on the board. A challenging start indeed for the Men in Blue.

Three Key Wickets Put India in Trouble

The first setback was experienced by Ishan Kishan, who squandered a promising opportunity by giving away his wicket in the very first over, chasing a wide ball unnecessarily. India vs Australia ICC CWC 2023 Match 5 Report, the situation worsened as Hazelwood managed to dismiss both Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, leaving India reeling at 2 for 3.

Virat and KL lifted India up from a possible disaster. Photo: Getty

Kohli and Rahul Come to the Rescue

The onus of steering the sinking ship back to safety fell upon the shoulders of the senior players, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Kohli instructed Rahul to approach the game as if it were a Test match, and they responded by patiently building a partnership. Kohli’s 85 and Rahul’s unbeaten 96* helped stabilize India’s innings. During the first powerplay, India added only 27 runs, but they picked up the pace in the subsequent 10 overs, adding 53 runs. The pair rotated the strike, occasionally found the boundary, and ensured that India’s run rate remained on par with the required rate of four runs per over.

Kohli’s Departure and Rahul’s Heroics

Virat Kohli’s dismissal, after adding 85 runs, came when India was within striking distance of the target. However, Rahul took the responsibility and guided the team to victory, falling just four runs short of what could have been another century for him.

Australia’s Steady Start

Mitchell Marsh dops Kohli’s valuable catch. Photo: Getty

Australia, on the other hand, had a steady start as they worked to neutralize the initial threat posed by the Indian bowlers. After 15 overs, they had reached 71 for the loss of just one wicket.

Kuldeep and Jadeja’s Middle-order Rattling

However, the match dynamics changed when Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja came into action. Kuldeep deceived David Warner to take a crucial wicket, while Jadeja caused a commotion by dismissing Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Alex Carey in the same over. Jadeja’s three-wicket over had a significant impact on the Australian middle order.

Jadeja rattled the Australian middle orders picking 3 wickets in the same over. Photo: Getty

Australia’s Collapse

As the Australian batsmen came and went quickly, their hopes of posting a competitive total dwindled. Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green’s efforts to boost the score ultimately fell short, and Australia tumbled from 111/2 to 140/7.