Shami, Rahul fire India to victory in ODI opener against Australia, MUMBAI Mohammed Shami’s bowling figures of 3- 17 and an unbeaten 75 by KL Rahul helped India beat Australia by five structures in the first one- day international on Friday.
Australia were sailed out for 188 in35.4 overs after a dramatic collapse following nature Mitchell Marsh’s 65- ball 81 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In a tricky chase, India were in trouble at 39- 4 before Rahul stayed calm and put on pivotal alliances including an unbeaten 108- run stage with Ravindra Jadeja, who made 45, to achieve win in39.5 overs.
The hosts lead the three- match series 1- 0 with the two armies warming up for the 50- over World Cup subsequently this time in India. Bowlers ruled in the ODI nature with Shami and Mohammed Siraj taking three structures each to make Australia slide from a strong 129- 2 after being invited to club first.
The Australian innings turned on its head after Marsh, who is playing as a specialist batsman after recovering from an ankle injury, departed in the 20th over. He put on 72 runs for the alternate gate with commander Steve Smith and smashed 10 fours and five sixes to take the wind out of the Indian bowlers who hit back with structures.
Marsh reached his fifty with a boundary and another four got Australia past 100 before he fell to Jadeja in his attempt to go after the left- arm incitement and got caught. Australia suddenly lost their way as Shami tore apart the rest of the Australian order with the help of Jadeja and Siraj.
Josh Inglis, who slipped the wicket keeping gloves after Alex Carey was ruled out sick, looked good in his knock of 26 before being sailed by Shami. Shami also transferred back Cameron Green( 12) and Marcus Stoinis( 5) to break the reverse of the opposition fur. Australia’s pace van hurt India early in the chase with three his structures after fellow quick Stoinis took down left- handed nature Ishan Kishan lbw for three.
Stark, a left- arm quick, also struck on successive deliveries to shoot back Virat Kohli( 4) and Suryakumar Yadav( 0) — both lbw. Rahul, who recently lost his place to Shubman Gill in the final two Tests against Australia after an extended fur depression, played out the headpiece- trick ball but Stark got Gill out for 20.
Rahul and commander Hardik Pandya, who made his debut as ODI captain in the absence of regular commander Rohit Sharma, put on 44 runs. Pandya fell to Stoinis on 25 but Rahul stood firm with the left- handed Jadeja, who hit the winning runs.
Rahul reached his 13th ODI fifty and also changed gears as he hit Adam Zampa for a four and six as India won with farther than 10 overs to spare. The alternate ODI is on Sunday in Visakhapatnam.
