INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
and partisan crowd arrived at the Narendra Modi Stadium hoping to see the host nation end their decade-long wait for a major ICC trophy
win.But it was Australia who delivered on the day
The Australian bowling attack combined to turn the screw after a fast-paced powerplay, bowling India out for 240.And Travis Head was the
Championship final in June and their subsequent retention of the Ashes.Tasked with a target of 241 to win the World Cup, Australia got off
(4) all departed cheaply as Australia slipped to 47/3 inside the opening seven overs, with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah taking the
wickets.But a superb partnership between Head and Marnus Labuschagne won it for Australia, with Head hitting a stunning century and
Labuschagne playing the foil at the other end, bedding in with a resolute half-century of his own.Head was caught in the deep with just one
run needed to win the game, departing to a standing ovation from his teammates having scored 137 from 120 runs.And Glenn Maxwell scored the
winning runs as Australia claimed victory with six wickets and seven overs to spare.Earlier, Australia skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and
chose to bowl first in Ahmedabad in-front of a packed crowd
attacking momentum, as Rohit and Virat Kohli racked up the runs in the first ten overs, with 80 runs coming in the first powerplay,
Iyer for 4 in the very next over, and the match took an abrupt turn from that moment on, as the runs dried up through the middle
overs.
Looking to rebuild in the face of some excellent bowling on a tricky surface, Kohli and KL Rahul bedded in, ensuring India
from the Aussie pacers, with Mitchell Starc taking 3/55 and Josh Hazlewood 2/60
wicket of Rohit.The innings fell into two distinct sections
Nine fours and three sixes were struck in the first powerplay as India reached 80/2
coming in singles.Final: India 240 (50 overs) v AustraliaThe second innings got off to a frenetic start, with David Warner edging the first
ball through the slip cordon and scoring 15 runs in a thrilling first over.And the drama built yet further when Mohammed Shami, handed the
new ball over Mohammed Siraj, removed Warner in a bizarre second over
edge to slip.An energised crowd roared on as India pressed hard for more powerplay wickets to boost their chances of defending 240 all
then dismissing Steve Smith for 4.With three of the top four back in the hutch with the score at 47/3, India had pulled themselves right
back into the contest.But Australia rebuilt as Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne bedded in to lift their side.Head led the charge as
fashion, unleashing a brace of fours in the very second over, and then hitting a six and four in the fourth
Even as Josh Hazlewood was under the pump, his partner Mitchell Starc managed to strike in the fifth over
hit a hat-trick of fours against Starc
Powerplay, the aggressive Shreyas Iyer also fell for a paltry score, nicking one behind the wicket
The boundaries dried up as India tried to re-settle after the early blows
Pat Cummins kept ringing in the changes amongst his bowlers to get a breakthrough, however, India managed to get to the mid-innings mark
India into defensive mode once more
Ravindra Jadeja, sent in at no
6 ahead of Suryakumar Yadav to get the left-right combination going, was happy to knock the ball around the park along with Rahul
The latter reached his fifty in the 35th over mark
Adam Zampa, who finished with 1/44 from his ten overs.And the silence was deafening from the crowd when Hazlewood picked up the key wicket
of Suryakumar Yadav, who had bided his time until the last three overs before look to go big, only to top edge one to the keeper.The
final-wicket pair looked to boost India in the death overs, and they took their team to 240 when Kuldeep Yadav was run out coming back for a
second off the final ball of the innings.Playing XIs:India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk),
Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.Australia:Travis Head, David Warner,
Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Josh
