India has made a good start to their claim for the ICC World Cup 2023. KL Rahul with his 97 not out and Virat Kohli’s fighting 85 saw India through after India’s three Indian top-order batters – Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer return to pavilion with ducks.
Playing his skipper’s knock, Virat Kohli pulled the Indian team out of troubled waters with a patient 85 run knock, contributing to India’s six-wicket victory over Australia in their opening match of the World Cup here on Sunday at Chennai.
Solidifying India’s innings was the master craftsman KL Rahul who played the Rahul Dravid for India with his 97 not out off 115 balls and was aided ably by his skipper Kohli.
Australia’s 199 score was never a real threat to India’s batting talent but with a strange stroke of luck, India lost its three top order batters – Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer – all for a duck.
At one time India’s score was 3 runs for two wickets leaving their fans biting their nails and worried.
But Kohli and Rahul played a heroic innings – under what could be called a less than pressure-cooker situation and managed to get some experience for the games to come.
India reached the target in 41.2 overs.
Indian spinners – Ravindra Jadeja – 3/28 in 10 overs along with Ravichandran Ashwin – 2/34 in 10 overs, did a marvelous job along with Kuldeep Yadav’s 2/42 in 10 overs. They made life miserable for the Australians bowling them all out for 199 in 49.3 overs.
From the Australian side Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were initially very effective during the first three overs sending Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer were walked back for ducks. The scoreboard read a horrifying 2/3.
Starc ended up getting 1 wicket while Josh Hazelwood managed to get 3.
Kohli’s innings did a significant amount of luck when he was dropped very early by a running-in Mitchell Marsh who failed to catch and let the ball slip through his hand.
Kohli knew he had been given a chance and was very cautious throughout his time at the crease. For nearly 50 deliveries, he didn’t hit a boundary.
India’s next game is against Afghanistan on Wednesday, 11 October at 7.30 PM local time. To a list of ONLY India’s games in the ICC World Cup 2023, click here.
Rest of the Schedule of the ICC World Cup 2023
Monday 09 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
14:00 MON 09 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
NEW ZEALAND v NETHERLANDS
Tuesday 10 October
Time: 4.00 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
10:30 TUE 10 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
ENGLAND v BANGLADESH
Tuesday 10 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
14:00 TUE 10 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Wednesday 11 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
14:00 WED 11 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v AFGHANISTAN
Thursday 12 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
BRSABVE Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
14:00 THU 12 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA
Friday 13 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
14:00 FRI 13 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
NEW ZEALAND v BANGLADESH
Saturday 14 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
14:00 SAT 14 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v PAKISTAN
Sunday 15 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
14:00 SUN 15 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
ENGLAND v AFGHANISTAN
Monday 16 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
BRSABVE Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
14:00 MON 16 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
AUSTRALIA v SRI LANKA
Tuesday 17 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
14:00 TUE 17 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
SOUTH AFRICA v NETHERLANDS
Wednesday 18 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
14:00 WED 18 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
NEW ZEALAND v AFGHANISTAN
Thursday 19 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MCA International Stadium, Pune
14:00 THU 19 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v BANGLADESH
Friday 20 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
- Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
14:00 FRI 20 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
AUSTRALIA v PAKISTAN
Saturday 21 October
Time: 4.00 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
BRSABVE Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
10:30 SAT 21 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
NETHERLANDS v SRI LANKA
Saturday 21 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
14:00 SAT 21 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
ENGLAND v SOUTH AFRICA
Sunday 22 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
14:00 SUN 22 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v NEW ZEALAND
Monday 23 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
14:00 MON 23 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
PAKISTAN v AFGHANISTAN
Tuesday 24 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
14:00 TUE 24 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
SOUTH AFRICA v BANGLADESH
Wednesday 25 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
14:00 WED 25 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
AUSTRALIA v NETHERLANDS
Thursday 26 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
14:00 THU 26 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
ENGLAND v SRI LANKA
Friday 27 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
14:00 FRI 27 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
PAKISTAN v SOUTH AFRICA
Saturday 28 October
Time: 4.00 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
10:30 SAT 28 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
AUSTRALIA v NEW ZEALAND
Saturday 28 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
14:00 SAT 28 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
NETHERLANDS v BANGLADESH
Sunday 29 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
BRSABVE Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
14:00 SUN 29 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v ENGLAND
Monday 30 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MCA International Stadium, Pune
14:00 MON 30 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
AFGHANISTAN v SRI LANKA
Tuesday 31 October
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
14:00 TUE 31 OCTOBER (Indian Time)
PAKISTAN v BANGLADESH
November GAMES
Wednesday 01 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MCA International Stadium, Pune
14:00 WED 01 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
NEW ZEALAND v SOUTH AFRICA
Thursday 02 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
14:00 THU 02 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v SRI LANKA
Friday 03 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
BRSABVE Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
14:00 FRI 03 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
NETHERLANDS v AFGHANISTAN
Saturday 04 November
Time: 4.00 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
10:30 SAT 04 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
NEW ZEALAND v PAKISTAN
Saturday 04 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
14:00 SAT 04 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA
Sunday 05 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
14:00 SUN 05 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v SOUTH AFRICA
Monday 06 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
14:00 MON 06 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
BANGLADESH v SRI LANKA
Tuesday 07 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
14:00 TUE 07 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
AUSTRALIA v AFGHANISTAN
Wednesday 08 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MCA International Stadium, Pune
14:00 WED 08 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
ENGLAND v NETHERLANDS
Thursday 09 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
14:00 THU 09 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
NEW ZEALAND v SRI LANKA
Friday 10 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
14:00 FRI 10 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
SOUTH AFRICA v AFGHANISTAN
Saturday 11 November
Time: 4.00 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
MCA International Stadium, Pune
10:30 SAT 11 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
AUSTRALIA v BANGLADESH
Saturday 11 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
14:00 SAT 11 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
ENGLAND v PAKISTAN
Sunday 12 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
14:00 SUN 12 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
INDIA v NETHERLANDS
SEMI-FINAL – 1
Wednesday 15 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
14:00 WED 15 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
Between 1ST PLACE v 4TH PLACE place holders
SEMI-FINAL – 2
Thursday 16 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
14:00 THU 16 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
Between 2ND PLACE v 3RD PLACE holders
FINAL
Sunday 19 November
Time: 7.30 PM (Melbourne Local Time)
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
14:00 SUN 19 NOVEMBER (Indian Time)
Between WINNERs OF SEMI-FINAL 1 MEN & SEMI-FINAL 2 MEN