Five-time World champions Australia will open their campaign in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 with a clash against hosts Team India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday (October 8). Australia hare heading into this World Cup full of confidence after defeating India and Pakistan in back-to-back matches – the last one coming in a warm-up match in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Pat Cummins-led side will play at eight different venues in this edition – Chennai, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Delhi, Dharamsala, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune. The Aussies will close the league stage of the tournament on November 11 against Bangladesh in Pune.
The semifinals will be held in Mumbai (November 15) and Kolkata (November 16) with the final set for November 19 in Ahmedabad.
Meanwhile, Australia overcame Pakistan in a thriller on the final day of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 warm-up matches on Tuesday. Glenn Maxwell struck 77 in Australia’s 351 for seven while Marnus Labuschagne contributed with bat and ball as Pakistan fell 14 runs short despite 90 from captain Babar Azam.
Australia made a rapid start having chosen to bat, David Warner dominating an opening stand of 83 before falling for a 33-ball 48 in the 13th over. Mitchell Marsh (38), Steve Smith (27) and Marnus Labuschagne (40) all made starts before Glenn Maxwell seized control of the middle overs.
The all-rounder brought up his half century with one of six sixes, eventually making 77 from 71 deliveries before he was dismissed by Shadab Khan. Josh Inglis (48) and Cameron Green (50 not out) kept the momentum going, adding 83 in eight overs for the seventh wicket to carry Australia to a daunting total as Pakistan’s death bowlers suffered, Haris Rauf’s nine overs costing 97.
Pakistan’s reply was faltering at 82 for four before a fine stand by Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed brought them right back into the contest. The skipper struck a typically fluent 90 from just 59 balls while Iftikhar struck six fours and four sixes in his 83 before becoming Labuschagne’s second scalp, leaving his side 227 for five.
Labuschagne then put down Mohammad Nawaz off the bowling of Marsh with the batter going well on 38 as the run chase went deep, but the seamer got his man for 50 shortly afterwards as Warner held on to a routine chance at third man. That left Pakistan needing 26 from four overs but Labuschagne returned to take the final wicket, Hasan Ali picking out Marsh at long-off.