In a last-ball thriller, Australia beat New Zealand by five runs at the HPCA Cricket Stadium in Dharamshala. Despite batting heroics from Rachin Ravindra and Jimmy Neesham, New Zealand fell five runs short of the target. With this win, Australia strengthened their position in the points table, while New Zealand registered its second consecutive defeat.
Earlier, after winning the toss, New Zealand skipper Tom Latham opted to bowl first. His decision didn’t go well with the team, as opener David Warner and Travis Head added 175 runs for the first wicket. Warner, in his inning, scored 81 runs off 65 balls with the help of five fours and six sixes. Meanwhile, head in his innings, he scored 109 runs off 67 balls with the help of ten fours and seven sixes.
After their departure, Australia struggled to keep the run rate up. Five-time champions lost five wickets within the next hundred runs as they were crumbling at 274/5 in 38.1 overs. However, in the end, Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis added 51 runs in just six overs, and a quick knock from skipper Pat Cummins helped Australia cross the 350-run mark. Maxwell, in his innings, scored 41 runs, while Inglis scored 38 and Cummins scored 37 runs.
These cameos helped Australia post a massive total of 388/10 in 49.2 overs. New Zealand’s bowling attack struggled to contain the Australian batsmen, as the latter relentlessly piled on the runs, hitting boundaries and clearing the ropes with ease. However, New Zealand’s fielding efforts and occasional breakthroughs helped them restrict Australia from reaching the 400-run mark. For New Zealand, spinner Glenn Philips and pacer Trent Boult clinched three wickets each.
Jimmy Neesham failed to get victory in the last-ball thriller
Chasing a mountainous total, New Zealand had a great start as opener Devon Conway and Will Young added 61 runs for the first wicket. Conway in his inning scored 28 runs off 17 balls with the help of six fours, while Young in his inning scored 32 runs off 37 balls with the help of four fours and a six. After their departure, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell added 96 runs for the third wicket.
Ravindra, in his innings, scored 116 runs off 89 balls with the help of nine fours and five sixes. Meanwhile, Mitchell, in his inning, scored 54 runs off 51 balls with the help of six fours and a six. However, Ravindra’s wicket proved to be the game-changer for Australia, as the Kiwis failed to put up a show. In the end, Jimmy Neesham scored a magnificent half-century and almost pulled off a win, but a runout in the last over stopped New Zealand from winning. With this victory, Australia strengthened their position in the points table.
Here is how fans react to Australia’s victory:
Close game dekhne hai aa jao dikha dunga ? pic.twitter.com/pghWiuIERF
— TEJASH ? (@LoyleRohitFan) October 28, 2023
Highest 2nd innings Total in ODI World Cup
383/9 – NZ vs AUS (2023)*
345/4 – PAK vs SL (2023)
338/8 – ENG vs IND (2011)
334/9 – ENG vs PAK (2019)
333/8 – BAN vs AUS (2019)— CricWhack (@cricwhack) October 28, 2023
PURE CINEMA AT DHARMSHALA!!
NZ fought tremendously well and it is the best match of this World Cup so far!!
And Kudos to Australia's fielding on
49.2
49.3
49.4Man, Ball of Steal? #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/jRT33Ck55h
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) October 28, 2023
Jimmy should hv probably innovated and tried playing a shot to the offside… anything over the circle was a 4 for the taking… unfortunate.. but a great match nevertheless
— Ramkrishna Iyer (@KannanK51531500) October 28, 2023
Australia be like? pic.twitter.com/zMwUVCsMxJ
— Yogesh (@yogeshontop) October 28, 2023
I blame kane pic.twitter.com/uVevohW8do
— Mukul (@mukuljakhar07) October 28, 2023
Wel played JIMMY NEESHAM…?? pic.twitter.com/aaU6JEfbTk
— ????? ? ? (@Zimbu12_) October 28, 2023
— deepfekzehar (@deepfuk_zehar) October 28, 2023
Well Played Australia. What a chase from New Zealand…What a match. Great for viewers. Both teams deserved to win..?????
— Indian Stats & Index (@statsfeed_india) October 28, 2023
