Cricket World Cup 2023 LIVE updates: Australia face hosts India in ...

This is how the past two or so minutes have played out. The players are back on the field. Starc bowls a wide to Sharma. Starc bowls two dot balls to Sharma. Starc bowls another to Sharma for a leg bye. Starc bowls to Kishan. Kishan is out. Simple as that. Spin? What spin? The seamer sends down a full, away-swinging ball and the batter gets a thick edge on its way into the hands of Cameron Green. That was Starc’s 50th World Cup wicket, cool as you like.

On the pitch:

“I play for CSK, I know the conditions in Chennai. When I saw the wicket I was hoping I should get two to three wickets, and luckily I got that. I was just looking to bowl into the stumps, because the odd ball was turning, so you never know what will turn and what not turn. Not every ball was turning, I was just mixing the pace. The odd ball was slow through the air. The Chennai crowd always comes in good numbers and cheers for India. It’ good to see everyone come in.

On the run chase: “Just go out and look to play simple cricket, not do fancy [and] things will be all right.”

Jadeja after dismissing Alex Carey.Credit: Getty

Well that was an exceptional performance with the ball by India, capped by an exceptional piece of fielding from Iyer after Starc attempted to hook a short-ball from Siraj. One run short of 200 as well.

Shreyas Iyer catches Mitchell Starc.Credit: Getty

Hardik brings the pace and Kohli brings the safe hands. Zampa can’t get under the ball enough and it flies relatively directly to mid-off, where Kohli needs only inch forward a little and keep his eye in. Let it be over. Please, let it be over. This sorry excuse for an innings. Zampa managed six runs.

Hazlewood steps up and takes a single, before Starc hits Rohit for four through backward square leg.

Australia 9-195 (Starc 24, Hazlewood 1) after 49 overs

Siraj goes for five runs including two wides. Starc and Zampa are hanging around.

Australia 8-188 (Starc 18, Zampa 6) after 48 overs

Bumrah’s over goes for four runs as Australia inch towards 200. Will they get there? Ashwin cedes three in his final over. Then, in the next over, Starc absolutely lays into an angled delivery from Bumrah and lets fly just about the shot of the day for six.

Australia 8-183 (Starc 16, Zampa 5) after 47 overs

After snaring three runs off four balls against Bumrah, Zampa gifts Jadeja a maiden over, which might have also included a wicket had Rohit taken a tricky reaction catch at slip.

Australia 8-168 (Starc 5, Zampa 3) after 44 overs

He takes a full swing of his bat facing Bumrah but has not timed it well. He’s going for long-on and, in the end, makes it only as far as the inrushing Iyer, who has come from that very place to scoop up the Australian captain’s wicket. Another one bites the dust. Cummins out for 15. Zampa steps up.