Sport / Cricket World Cup

India hand Australia first Cricket World Cup loss

13:13 pm on 10 June 2019

Australia have suffered just their fourth Cricket World Cup loss in 20 years and been handed a reality check by India in the form of a 36-run defeat in London.

Asked to complete a record chase after a century from Shikhar Dhawan exposed their lack of bowling depth in India's 352-5, Australia were all out for 316 in reply.

Aiming to continue their undefeated start to the tournament, the defending champions let the asking rate get to above 11 with 15 overs to go before upping the ante.

But when Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis soon fell within seven balls of each other, any hopes of an Australian victory went with them.

Wickets had continuously fallen at the wrong time for the Aussies.

Captain Aaron Finch was run out for 36 off 35 balls, swinging his bat in anger as he left the field after his final 22 runs had come off just 12 deliveries.

Warner took up 84 balls for his 56, but was caught on the cow corner boundary taking on spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2-62) just as he and Smith looked to be getting into a groove.

Usman Khawaja was next to go, ramping Jasprit Bumrah (3-61) onto his own stumps for 42 off 39 balls after he'd just helped take 14 off a Kuldeep Yadav over.

Then, after Smith and Maxwell added 36 off 18 balls, came the mini-collapse.

Smith was lbw to Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-50) for 69 off 70 as he moved across his stumps, Marcus Stoinis was bowled two balls later by the quick and Maxwell then feel in the deep for 28 off 14 sweeping Chalal.

More Cricket World Cup news:

Only Alex Carey provided late highlights, with a quickfire 55 off 35, but by then any real Australian hopes were gone as they were all out on the last ball of the 50th over.

Their bigger concern though was with the ball.

After Pat Cummins (1-55) and Mitchell Starc (1-74) failed to take early wickets, Nathan Coulter-Nile's first over went for 14 before he recovered to finish with 1-63.

Marcus Stoinis was more expensive with 2-62 off seven overs, taking the wickets of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni in the last over.

Adam Zampa also had 0-50 off six and Glenn Maxwell was 0-45 off seven.

Dhawan though, was a level above with his 117 from 109 balls, building a foundation early before clicking into gear.

He started slow as he built the foundation for India's innings then smashed 15 boundaries following an opening stand with Rohit Sharma (57).

Kohli took the game even further away from the Aussies, whacking four boundaries and two sixes in his 82 off 77 balls.

Australia were also left to rue their errors in the field, most notably when Carey dropped Hardik Pandya on zero before he blitzed 48 off just 27 balls.

Photo: RNZ / Suneil Narsai

-AAP