IND vs AUS, Super 8 Group 1 match: How did India fare in their last T20 World Cup showdown against Australia?
Two cricketing giants, India and Australia, are poised for a high-stakes encounter in the T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eights. The much-anticipated match will take place at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia, on Monday, June 24, at 8:00 PM IST.
Despite facing each other in a warm-up game during the last T20 World Cup, India and Australia haven't met in the league stage for the past two editions. Their last T20 World Cup face-off in the league phase was back in 2016 during the ICC World T20 in India.
Australia¡¯s modest batting performance
The previous meeting was the 31st match of the tournament, held at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh. Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and decided to set a target for the hosts.
Australia managed a decent total of 160/6, with opener Aaron Finch leading the way with a 34-ball 43. Indian bowlers struck at regular intervals, disrupting Australia¡¯s momentum.
Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Yuvraj Singh each claimed one wicket, while Hardik Pandya picked up two wickets despite conceding 36 runs. Ravindra Jadeja was economical, giving away just 20 runs in his three overs.
Virat Kohli¡¯s spectacular knock stole the show
India faced early setbacks during their chase, losing openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma in the fourth and sixth overs. The middle-order batters also struggled, but Virat Kohli delivered one of the most memorable innings of his career.
Kohli¡¯s unbeaten 51-ball 82, featuring nine fours and two sixes, is still regarded as one of his finest T20 performances. He skillfully found gaps and executed big shots, particularly dominating James Faulkner and Nathan Coulter-Nile in the death overs.
Kohli scored 19 runs off Faulkner in the 18th over and followed it with 16 runs off Coulter-Nile in the next over. With just a few runs needed, MS Dhoni sealed the chase with a boundary on the first ball of the final over, securing India¡¯s six-wicket victory.
An emotional Kohli received the Player of the Match award for his incredible 82*(51), which ensured India¡¯s spot in the semi-finals. However, the Indian team later lost their knockout match against the eventual champions, West Indies.
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