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
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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:
India 168-4 (38) Rahul 75, Pandya 1, Hazlewood 3-28 (8) need 32 runs to win
That was just what Australia wanted, but it might have come too late.
Pandya is off the mark with a single.
Wicket! Kohli out for 85 ct Labuschagne b Hazlewood India 167-4
Hazlewood has been the pick of the Aussie seam attack with his two wickets at the start.
Just as it looked like these two would see India over the line, Kohli has smashed Hazlewood straight to Labuschagne at midwicket!
He it out for 85
India 167-3 (37) Rahul 75, Kohli 85, Zampa 0-53 (8) need 33 runs to win
Zampa will have another chance for a wicket, Rahul doesn’t get hold of it but it bounces short of the fielder on the boundary, who makes a mistake and they can come back for 3.
The only question remaining might be whether Kohli can get the 15 more runs needed to reach his century.
India 159-3 (36) Rahul 71, Kohli 81, Hazlewood 2-27 (7) need 41 runs to win
The 150 partnership follows, the highest for India against Australia in World Cups - a big achievement especially considering at one point they were 2 for 3.
Hazlewood will bowl his seventh, the wicket has not looked like coming since Kohli was dropped early on.
That was the first half chance! Rahul plays the ball back past Hazlewood who can’t get a hand to it, but the ball was hit upwards.
India 151-3 (35) Rahul 64, Kohli 80, Zampa 0-44 (7) need 49 runs to win
Zampa has not looked threatening against this pair, he has been good since the last World Cup, but these two have not had any problems against the Aussie spinner.
The 150 comes up for India, a partnership of 148, and just 50 more runs needed.
There were 5 runs from the over, all singles.
India 146-3 (34) Rahul 62, Kohli 77, Starc 1-31 (8) need 54 runs to win
Kohli is pushing Rahul here to keep the running between the wickets as slick as it was at the start.
Concussion check! Kohli was thumped in the helmet by that delivery from Starc, the cross-seam ball just lept up off the wicket and into the top of the helmet.
And the next ball is smashed to the boundary for 4 by Kohli.
India 139-3 (33) Rahul 61, Kohli 71, Zampa 0-40 (6) need 61 runs to win
Kohli plays one of the best shots of the innings to send Zampa’s first delivery to the boundary for four. It was dragged down wide and smashed through extra cover.
India 132-3 (32) Rahul 60, Kohli 65, Starc 1-24 (7) need 68 runs to win
The harder ball has brought Starc on to bowl his 7th over.
He was a bit more wayward, a wide with the second delivery, the ball might seem and sound newer, but it does not seem to be moving significantly more.
There is no change from the India approach, they have just continued to knock it around, until a slightly wider delivery and Rahul drives through the covers for four, absolutely textbook shot.
India 124-3 (31) Rahul 56, Kohli 62, Maxwell 0-16 (6) need 76 runs to win
After that drinks break, Australia turn to Maxwell to try and break what is heading towards a match-winning partnership between Kohli and Rahul.
The ball is dusty, the track is favourable to spin, but the Aussie spinners have not found the same purchase from the surface as the India spinners and the batters can just knock the ball around comfortably.
There’s a new ball after the damage to the old one, but that might just help come onto the bat a bit quicker.
India 120-3 (30) Rahul 54, Kohli 60, Cummins 0-27 (6) need 80 runs to win
Cummins has not found the breakthrough he would have wanted, but he has not been expensive either.
Just the one run from the over, it’s not quick or entertaining but the crowd is getting louder now that the host nation are on top.
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