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On October 8, 2023, India began their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign with a convincing six-wicket victory over Australia.
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India won their opening match of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 against Australia by six wickets.
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India's chase of 200 runs got off to a shaky start, as they lost three wickets in quick succession.
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– Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then formed a crucial partnership, adding 165 runs for the fourth wicket, which stabilized India's innings.
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Kohli, who was given a lifeline on 12 when Mitchell Marsh dropped a catch, scored 85 runs before being dismissed.
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KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 97 runs, guiding India to a statement win in their World Cup opener.
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David Warner and Steve Smith had a notable partnership of 69 runs for Australia.
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However, India's spinners dominated the proceedings, with Ravindra Jadeja being the standout bowler with figures of 3/28.
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Kuldeep Yadav (2/42), Ravichandran Ashwin (1/34), and pacer Jasprit Bumrah (2/35) also contributed to India's strong bowling performance.
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Smith was the top scorer for Australia with 46 runs, while Warner made 41, and Mitchell Starc contributed 28 runs.
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After a shaky start, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul steadied India's innings and increased the scoring rate.
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Kohli reached his half-century in the 26th over, while Rahul achieved the same milestone in the 28th over.
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India improved their run rate, and by the 35th over, they had brought the required run rate closer to three runs per over.
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Kohli was eventually dismissed for 85 in the 38th over, but Rahul's unbeaten 97 ensured India's victory in the 42nd over
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This partnership was the highest by an Indian pair against Australia in a Cricket World Cup match, and it was also the highest fourth-wicket partnership between two Indian batters in a World Cup contest.
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India faced a challenging situation at the start of their innings, losing three wickets without any runs on the board.
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Ishan Kishan (0), Rohit Sharma (0), and Shreyas Iyer (0) were all dismissed early.
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Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then came together to rebuild India's innings.
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Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in Chennai
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Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, believed that the conditions favored bowlers, with the pitch expected to offer turn as the game progressed.
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KL Rahul's explosive batting and Virat Kohli's stability were pivotal for India's successful chase.
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India's spinners, led by Ravindra Jadeja, played a crucial role in restricting Australia's batting.
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Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
India XI
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David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Australia XI
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This victory marked a positive start to India's campaign in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.
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