KL Rahul, Jadeja lead India to 5 wicket win over Australia

Wankhede, The Gulf Observer: KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 108-run stand off 123 balls took India over the line after Mitchell Starc got them into a bit of a tricky situation chasing 189.

India had lost Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav within the first 11 overs.

Captain Hardik Pandya and Rahul then steadied the Indian chase and got the hosts back on top. Australia then got a bit of an opening with the wicket of Pandya but that was as far as they went with Rahul and Jadeja then shutting up shop. Rahul ended the match unbeaten on 75 off 91 balls while Jadeja hit the winning runs and reached 45 off 69. Australia’s innings started with a lot of promise but burned out in the middle overs.

Australia looked set for a big score when Mitchell Marsh accelerated after scoring his half century. He first put up a 72-run stand off 63 balls with Steve Smith and then a 52-run stand off 43 balls with Marnus Labuschagne. Marsh had scored 41 runs in the latter stand and was on 81 off 65 balls when he fell to Ravindra Jadeja. Mohammed Shami took over after that, getting the wickets of Josh Inglis, Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis as the Australian batting order fell from 169/4 in the 28th over to being 188 all out in the 36th.