Australia attempted hard, but in a run chase they finally came up with 36 short runs where they had to chase a total that was the highest they had to chase in a World Cup match. Australia attempted hard, but in a run chase they finally came up with 36 short runs where they had to chase a total that was the highest they had to chase in a World Cup match.
After the half centuries of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India beat Australia out of the game giving 352/5. Sharma also became the fastest player against Australia to score 2,000 ODI runs.
Shikhar Dhawan gave 117 runs, his 17th century ODI, forging two major partnerships with fellow opener Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli helping India getting enormous 352 runs on 5 wickets.
In comparison, several Australian batsmen on the frontline had good starts but none could bat good enough as the five-time world champions, all out for 316, tasted their first tournament defeat.
Australian bowlers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins provided only one border and a half chance for the first five overs. Rohit, then on four, was fortunate as his chip burst at brief mid-wicket through the fingers of an airborne Nathan Coulter-Nile.
In the first 10 overs, India managed only 41 runs, but Rohit and Dhawan were fortunate to weather the hostile period. In his first over, Dhawan greeted Coulter-Nile with three boundaries, and in his fourth, Rohit hooked the quick for a six.
Coulter-Nile returned by dismissing the opener for 57 to finish the burgeoning 127-run stand.
This win was India’s 50th win over Australia in the ODI format. After England (61) and the Windies (60), they are the third squad to win 50 ODI against the Aussies.
