India v Australia LIVE: Cricket World Cup result and reaction as India win by six wickets
India look to kickstart their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign against Australia
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.India are under pressure from the weight of fans, media and all corners of the host nation when they get their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign up and running against Australia today.
As the host nation and the No 1 ranked side in the world, the expectation has rarely been higher for a nation to deliver, especially in front of a home crowd. After England were hammered by New Zealand in the tournament opener in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, both India and Australia will be looking to get their campaign off to a winning start.
India have not won a World Cup since 2011, and even Sachin Tendulkar spoke during the tournament opener on Wednesday about how sometimes the team have to remember that hundreds of millions are behind them rather than sitting on their shoulders. Australia lost the pre-tournament series in India against Rohit Sharma’s side, but as the England defeat to New Zealand has shown, the bilateral series results can have little effect on the outcome of a World Cup clash. India will also be hoping their side is up to full fitness.
Follow all the latest live coverage of today’s match in the live blog belowand get the latest match odds and tips here:
Wicket! David Warner ct & b. Kuldeep Yadav 41 (52), Australia 74-2 (16.3)
Got him!
The pressure was building on David Warner who wanted to score quickly. He tries to spank Kuldeep back down the ground who hits the ball straight at the bowler who clings onto a fine catch.
Warner has to go.
Australia 74-1 (16.2), Smith 33, Warner 41, Kuldeep 0-11 (2.2)
After Smith takes one, Warner gets lucky looking to sweep and pulls the ball off middle stump but he doesn’t beat the fielder at short leg.
Australia 73-1 (16), Smith 32, Warner 41, Ashwin 0-22 (5)
There’s a quick break for drinks which is needed on this hot day in Chennai. Ravi Ashwin will continue as the Aussies look to accummulate more runs.
Warner and Smith are using their feet well. They’re advancing down the track and picking up a couple of singles while targeting the gaps on the boundary edge.
Those are the only runs from the over as Ashwin forces Warner deep into his crease where he’s finding it harder to time the ball.
Australia 71-1 (15), Smith 31, Warner 40,Kuldeep 0-10 (2)
Kuldeep is starting to find his length on a regular basis. Just short of full which allows for a bit of turn and forces the batters to decide whether to come forward or stay back.
Three dots builds the pressure on David Warner but Kuldeep strays too straight and Warner tickles the ball down to fine leg for four!
The fifth delivery spins sharply and Warner just prods at the ball. Luckily it bounces short of the fielder at gully and the Aussie opener scrambles through for one off the final ball of the over.
Australia 66-1 (14), Smith 31, Warner 35, Ashwin 0-20 (4)
Shot! A skip down the track from David Warner sees him get to the pitch of the ball and lift it over cover for four!
That’s a fine start to the over which allows the Australians to milk three singles from the next five balls.
Australia 59-1 (13), Smith 30, Warner 29, Kuldeep 0-5 (1)
Here comes Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm leg spinner could be a match-winner for India during this tournament. He spins the ball more than Ravichandran Ashwin but is slower through the air.
Over the years he’s improved massively and the unique angle from which the ball spins will be a useful tool for him.
David Warner is hit on the pads looking to sweep the first ball which gets the Indian fielders excited though the umpire remains unmoved.
Four runs come from the first four balls as the batters rotate the strike. The final ball turns away from Warner and catches the edge but Smith calls him through for one more.
Australia 54-1 (12), Smith 28, Warner 26, Ashwin 0-13 (3)
India have come into this match with three front line spinners who will be crucial through the middle period of this innings. Australia need settled batters to take them on but it doesn’t seem easy to overly attack.
A couple of singles come from the first three balls of Ashwin’s next over before Warner drops to one knee and looks to slog sweep him over the legside. He misses the ball and there’s a half-hearted shout for lbw which is turned down.
Warner goes back into his shell and pushes the ball to long on off the last delivery for one.
Australia 51-1 (11), Smith 27, Warner 24, Hardik 0-21 (2)
Hardik Pandya is back! The opening powerplay is over so India can spread the field a bit more now. Hardik goes full but Smith is up to the task.
He lifts the ball over the bowler for four!
Bang! Hardik pulls his length back and Smith swivels into a pull shot that his mullers through midwicket for another boundary. Australia’s 50 comes up in the 11th over and they’ve responded brilliantly since losing the early wicket.
Australia 43-1 (10), Smith 19, Warner 24, Ashwin 0-10 (2)
Warner and Smith rotate the strike against Ashwin and take three singles from the first three deliveries of his second over. A sharper delivery angles into Warner’s pads and pins him on the crease but the ball is heading down the legside.
Next up, Warner waits for the ball and caresses it wonderfully through the gap between cover and point to pick up another boundary!
10 overs gone, Australia’s rebuild is going well.
Australia 36-1 (9), Smith 17, Warner 19, Bumrah 1-11 (4)
Jasprit Bumrah is brought back into the attack to replace Hardik Pandya who has left the pitch to have a check on his injured hand.
David Warner prods the ball into the legside for a run before Steve Smith advances down the track. He whips Bumrah into midwicket but can’t beat the fielder there.
Bumrah’s hitting a nice length that the Australian batters can’t work away to the boundary and Smith settles for another single. A fuller delivery is hacked over the infield by Warner who picks up a couple after miscuing the ball into the outfield.
A decent over for India, with four runs from it.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments