Australia recorded their fifth consecutive victory in the World Cup 2023 after thrashing England by 33 runs at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad on November 4, Saturday. This win also boosted Australia's chances of making it to the semifinals as they now have 10 points in a total of seven games to be placed third in the World Cup 2023's points table.
Riding on Marnus Labuschagne's resilient knock of 71 Australia posted a challenging total of 286 despite Chris Woakes' brilliant four-fer. In reply, Dawid Malan and Ben Stokes' impressive fifties did instil hopes in England's camp but only to surrender to the five-time champions as they were bowled out to 253 to continue their nightmarish campaign in the ongoing World Cup. For England, the aim was to salvage their pride and maintain a glimmer of hope for securing a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which in jeopardy now.
England got off to a shaky start as Mitchell Starc got rid of Jonny Bairstow in the very first ball. The early setback intensified as Joe Root too fell prey to Starc's lethal bowling. Despite a fighting fifty from Malan and a resilient partnership with Stokes, England's hopes dimmed as Pat Cummins shattered their recovery efforts. Adam Zampa’s masterclass in spin bowling exacerbated England's woes, claiming key wickets including the crucial dismissal of Stokes after a gritty half-century and the English captain Jos Buttler. The fall of Liam Livingstone to Cummins only tightened Australia's grip on the match.
As wickets tumbled, Zampa continued his onslaught, finishing with impressive figures of 3/21. Though David Willey and Chris Woakes offered a glimmer of hope with late blitzes, Marcus Stoinis and Josh Hazlewood closed out any possibility of an English revival. England's campaign faced a bitter end as Australia clinched a comprehensive victory.
Earlier, Australian batters, without the services of Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, showcased resilience to accumulate a total of 286 against their longstanding rivals England. The innings was marked by solid starts from key batsmen who, however, could not extend their knocks to inflict greater damage on the English bowling lineup.
Marnus Labuschagne’s valiant 71 off 83 balls served as the backbone of Australia's innings, while Steve Smith (44 off 52) and Cameron Green (47 off 52) provided substantial support to navigate through the English attack. Marcus Stoinis added a quickfire 35 off 32, but none of the Aussie batsmen could turn their starts into the dominant scores needed for a more daunting total.
England’s bowling was highlighted by Chris Woakes’ effective 4/54, continuing his streak of success with the new ball and adding crucial wickets in the death overs. His dismissal of openers David Warner and Travis Head laid the early groundwork for England's fightback.
Leg-spinner Adil Rashid continued his efficient World Cup run, keeping a tight rein on the runs with figures of 2/38. Mark Wood’s pace was also a significant factor; his 2/70 included strategic use of the short ball that unsettled the Australian middle order, particularly Green.
Australia's innings experienced a turbulent phase when both Smith and Labuschagne, seeking redemption for their modest tournament performances thus far, stitched together a 75-run partnership that provided some stability after the early setbacks.
A swift exit for Josh Inglis and Green's struggle against Wood’s short deliveries culminated in a stunning cover drive but ended with a misjudged slog sweep. Stoinis, with his firepower, briefly raised hopes of an Australian surge before succumbing to the deep mid-wicket trap.
The Australian side, teetering towards not fully utilising their overs, received a late boost from Adam Zampa's brisk 29 off 19 balls, which edged the team closer to the psychological advantage of a 300-run mark.
Australia will now take on Afghanistan in their next match on November 7 in Mumbai while England will face Netherlands on November 8.
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