Australia beat India Archives

Australia confirm World Test Championship final spot

DUBAI: Following their comprehensive win by nine wickets in the third Test against India, Australia secured their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, scheduled from June 7 to 11 at the Oval, London.

Australia won 11 out of the 18 Tests played during the 2021-23 WTC cycle and became the first team to qualify for the final with a competition still wide open for the second spot.

The visitors bounced back forcefully in the third Test and made India taste their own medicine as they sealed the victory in just three days on the back of a phenomenal spin attack.

Australia folded India for 109 on day one with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann leading the charge with five wickets. In reply, they made a solid start before collapsing to 197 all out before lunch on day two with their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.

Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India bundled out for 163 in their second innings, setting up a victory target of 76 which they chased easily for the loss of opener Usman Khawaja on day three.

“That victory has helped Australia amass an impressive 68.52 of their possible WTC points,” said International Cricket Council in a media release on Friday, adding, “They will finish the current period in first place on the World Test Championship standings regardless of the result in the final Test of their ongoing series against India.”

India, who are still second on the standings with 60.29 points, will seal the WTC final spot if they win the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad. However, another defeat or a draw will leave their chances dependent on the remaining fixtures of the outgoing cycle.

“Sri Lanka have two Tests to play away from home against New Zealand this month and know they have to complete a 2-0 series sweep over the Kiwis to have any chance of snatching a spot in the WTC Final,” ICC added.

Remaining ICC World Test Championship Fixtures

South Africa v West Indies (Second Test) – Johannesburg, South Africa, 8-12 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (First Test) – Christchurch, New Zealand, 9-13 March
India v Australia (Fourth Test) – Ahmedabad, India, 9-13 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (Second Test) – Wellington, New Zealand, 17-21 March

READ: Tests in Pakistan ‘boring’, says Rohit after India lost inside three days

Australia beat India by nine wickets to win third Test

INDORE: Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne held their nerve on a viciously turning Indore pitch to guide Australia to a nine-wicket victory Friday and only their second Test win in India since 2004.

After Australia were thrashed in the first two Tests inside three days, the series now stands at 2-1 to the hosts with one match remaining.

Labuschagne finished on 28 not out and Head on 49, having lost opener Usman Khawaja to only the second ball of the day.

The dogged victory secured Australia a berth in the ICC World Test Championship final in June at The Oval. India will be sure of their place in the final if they win the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.

“I just tried to take it one step a time,” said Head.

“We have seen it throughout the series that with the wickets, the quality of bowling, anything can happen.

“So we were just trying to take it one ball at a time. It’s just nice to contribute.”

In a low-scoring and frenetic encounter, Australia skittled India for 109 on day one with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann giving the hosts a taste of their own medicine with five wickets.

In reply Australia made a solid start before collapsing to 197 all out before lunch on day two, their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.

Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India bundled out for 163 in their second innings, setting up a victory target of 76.

Australia made the worst of starts with Khawaja, the hero of the first innings, out second ball of the day.

The opening batsman edged Ravichandran Ashwin to keeper Srikar Bharat for a duck.

A stunned Khawaja, who had looked supremely assured in the first innings, reviewed the decision but the dismissal was upheld — to jubilation from the noisy Indore crowd.

Virat Kohli was convinced he had caught gum-chewing Labuschagne, the world number one Test batsman, at slip off Ashwin in the seventh over but India’s review was unsuccessful.

After 45 minutes, Labuschagne and Head changed gears.

Head launched Ashwin for a six over mid-on and the next over drilled Ravindra Jadeja down the ground for a four as the shackles came off.

Labuschagne too got in the act, hitting Jadeja for a four and dismissing a short Ashwin delivery on a half-volley for four more to bring a rare Australia win in India in view.

A flurry of more boundaries quickly reduced the deficit, calmed nerves in the Australian dressing room and silenced the home crowd.

It is only the third time that India — who have won their last 15 home series – have lost a game at home in the last decade.

READ: Depleted Barca earn Copa semi first leg Clasico win

Green, Wade guide Australia to four wicket win over India in first T20

MOHALI: Matthew Wade steered Australia to a four-wicket victory over India after a blistering knock by Cameron Green in the opening game of the three match Twenty20 series in Mohali on Tuesday.

Wade’s unbeaten 45 off 21 helped the visitors chase down India’s mammoth 209 runs with four balls remaining after Australia had stuttered briefly in the middle overs following quick losses.

But it was the all-rounder Green, who replaced star batsman David Warner for the India tour, who laid the foundation for the high score run chase, smashing 61 off 30 balls.

Green, the man of the match, smashed eight fours and four sixes after the Aussies lost skipper Aaron Finch for 22 in the third over.

The right-hand all-rounder stitched a 70-run partnership with Steve Smith before he was caught by Virat Kohli off Axar Patel.

Smith with 35 off 25 departed in the next over followed by Glenn Maxwell’s wicket in the same over for one.

However, Wade displayed a powerful batting performance, hitting six fours and two sixes helping the visitors to chase down the target in the 19th over.

Tim David, who made his Twenty20 debut, scored 18 off 14 balls while Josh Inglis made 17 off 10 balls.

Pat Cummins hit the winning shot off Yuzvendra Chahal to reach 211-6.

Patel picked three for 17 while Umesh Yadav took 2 wickets for 27.

It was Australia’s second-highest successful chase in the white-ball format and highest against India.

“At this ground, it didn’t worry us too much. Anywhere between 12-14 an over at the back end on a wicket like this and an outfield like this we back ourselves to get them,” Wade said.

In the first half, the visitors won the toss and opted to field, with all-rounder Hardik Pandya smashing a rapid 71 to help the hosts post a challenging total of 208-6.

Opener KL Rahul also made a half-century while Suryakumar Yadav hit 46 after losing skipper Rohit Sharma for 11 and star batsman Kohli for two in the powerplay.

Rahul compiled 55 off 35 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes before he was caught by Nathan Ellis off Josh Hazlewood at deep square-leg.

Yadav hit four sixes in his 25-ball stay before he was caught behind off Green.

But Pandya increased the scoring rate further, hammering 71 off 30 deliveries.

The 28-year-old all-rounder hit seven fours and five sixes including three back-to-back hits in the last three balls of the innings.

Ellis was the most successful bowler and finished with figures of three for 30.

The three-match series is being used as a warm-up for next month’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

The visitors are playing without pace spearhead Mitchell Starc and all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh due to injuries.

India are looking to bounce back after crashing out of the Asia Cup this month before the knockout stage.

The teams will meet on Friday for the second Twenty20 match in Nagpur.

READ: ‘I don’t need to play on off side’ says Mohammad Rizwan