WTC 2023 Final Highlights, IND vs AUS: In a captivating display of cricket, Travis Head soared to a century while Steve Smith steadily approached his own milestone, firmly placing Australia in command against India on Day 1. With precision and determination, Head and Smith propelled Australia to a formidable 327/3 by the close of play at Stumps. India managed to strike early after Lunch, with Mohammed Shami dismissing Marnus Labuschagne.
Prior to that, Australia had reached 73/2 at Lunch, losing the formidable David Warner to India’s prowess at 43, just moments before the interval. Additionally, Usman Khawaja faced an unfortunate duck, falling victim to Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj’s combined efforts.
India secured their place in the final by triumphing in all three home series, including a notable victory over Australia, as well as a win in Bangladesh. Conversely, the runners-up from the 2021 final, New Zealand, experienced a series defeat in South Africa and a drawn series against England. Australia, on the other hand, emerged victorious against England, West Indies, and South Africa in home series matches. They also achieved success during their Test series in Pakistan and shared a 1-1 result in Sri Lanka.
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In a captivating display of cricket, Travis Head soared to a century while Steve Smith steadily approached his own milestone, firmly placing Australia in command against India on Day 1. With precision and determination, Head and Smith propelled Australia to a formidable 327/3 by the close of play at Stumps. India managed to strike early after Lunch, with Mohammed Shami dismissing Marnus Labuschagne.
A 200-run partnership has come up between Travis Head and Steve Smith. Australia 276/3 (73)
Travis Head and Steve Smith has put Australia in command post tea break. The team has crossed 200 runs on Day 1 so far with Head playing at 92 and Smith at 41. AUS 212/3 (59)
A top innings from Travis Head and Steve Smith has put Australia in a good position. Head has completed his half-century. Australia 161/3 (46)
The ball was lofted in the air, falling just short of the diving Rahane positioned at gully. It was a back-of-a-length delivery, aimed at the bodyline of Travis Head, causing him discomfort. In an attempt to defend, Head instinctively closed the face of his bat, resulting in a leading edge that floated towards gully. On the very next delivery, there was a close call as the ball nearly grazed the outside edge of Steve Smith's bat.
Shami takes down Marnus Labuschagne for 26. The pacer keeps his length consistent and finds success.
India XI: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (c), Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Srikar Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav
Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
Australia holds the upper hand after the morning session, reaching a score of 73/2 by Lunch. However, just before the break, India managed to dismiss the in-form David Warner for 43 runs, thanks to a wicket taken by Shardul Thakur. Additionally, Mohammed Siraj bowled out Usman Khawaja for a duck, further boosting India's performance.