Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India] : Riding on an all-round display, Australia knocked out defending champions England from the ICC World Cup 2023 after registering a 33-run victory.
The win helped the former world champions strengthen their claim for a top-four spot in the ongoing quadrennial showpiece.
Australia’s victory ended 2019 champions England’s horrendous World Cup campaign in the ongoing tournament. After the five-time champions were bundled out for 286, a fantastic bowling display denied England a morale-boosting victory, with Adam Zampa starring once again to become the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. Australia’s victory puts them one step closer to the semifinals, while England’s sixth defeat effectively eliminates them from contention to finish in the top four.
In another dismal performance from the 2019 champions, Dawid Malan (50), Ben Stokes (64) and Moeen Ali (42) were the standout batsmen, but Zampa’s amazing figures of 3/21 helped tie England in knots.
Defending a faulty total of 286, Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal on the first ball of the second innings handed Australia a big lift, with the opener strangled down the leg side as he attempted to clip Mitchell Starc’s errant first delivery away.
During the first powerplay, Joe Root and Dawid Malan attempted to rebuild. Root’s fine edge accounted for England’s number three on review to leave the team 19/2 and in big trouble.
With a fighting 84-run partnership, Stokes and Malan ensured that the holders of the title took the game deep at least. But the opener was out soon after hitting his half-century, holing out to Pat Cummins for 50 off 64 deliveries. And Jos Buttler’s campaign continued as he scored only one run before succumbing to leggie Adam Zampa.
For the second time in a row, it was Ben Stokes who held the key for England, bringing up his half-century with a six and helping England accelerate as the run rate began to rise, putting on a solid combination with Moeen Ali.
Stokes threatened to produce the kind of innings that his Ashes rivals have now come to expect from him. However, the tenacious Aussie leg-spinner dismissed him just as he was about to explode in front of 55,052 fans in Ahmedabad.
Liam Livingstone’s poor run of form continued, as he was dismissed for two runs off a Pat Cummins delivery.
With the run rate approaching 10 per over, Moeen needed to go big. But Australia set the trap and it worked, with David Warner scooping a catch to send England’s last hope back to the hut for 42.
Australia cruised to victory with 33 runs despite a late flurry from David Willey (14), Chris Woakes (32) and Adil Rashid (20).
Earlier, England fielded first and bowled out arch-rival Australia for 286 in Ahmedabad.
Chris Woakes finished with 4/54 off 9.3 overs while Adil Rashid produced a miserly spell of 2/38 off his 10 overs to keep the Aussies to a gettable total.
A patchy batting effort saw Australia bowled out for 286, with Marnus Labuschagne being the top scorer with 71.
Brief scores: Australia 286 (Marnus Labuschagne 71, Cameron Green 47; Chris Woakes 4-54) vs England 253 (Ben Stokes 64, Dawid Malan 50; Adam Zampa 3-21).
