Australia pick up the pace before India showdown
Australia head into their World Cup decider against India with all pieces in place following a devastating return to form of their vaunted pace attack in the South Africa semi-final.
Josh Hazlewood Sport News
Head to the fore as Australia set up World Cup final against India
KOLKATA: Travis Head starred with bat and ball as Australia set up a World Cup final clash with India after a tense three-wicket win over South Africa in Kolkata on Thursday. Chasing a tricky 213 for victory, Australia wobbled after Head hit 62 but Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis (28) helped the five-time champions reach their target with 16 balls to spare in the second semifinal in Kolkata. As Australia reached an eighth World Cup final, South Africa were left to rue a fifth semifinal loss despite David Miller’s 101. Australia slipped to 137-5 and then 193-7 before Mitchell Starc (16) and skipper Pat Cummins (14) kept their nerve to steer the team home. Left-hand batsman and part-time off-spinner Head stood out after taking two wickets and then with his 48-ball innings laced with nine fours and two sixes. Australia were in trouble when they were five down as spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi struck in quick succession to rattle the middle-order. Maharaj bowled Head, who was dropped on 40 and 57, and Shamsi, a left-arm wrist spinner, trapped Marnus Labuschagne lbw for 18 and bowled Glenn Maxwell for one in his next over. Australia started the tournament with two losses but registered their eighth straight win. Starc led the bowling charge with figures of 3-34 and Cummins also picked three wickets to bowl out South Africa for 212 in 49.4 overs. Left-arm quick Starc struck in the first over to send back South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, who had said he was not “100 percent fit” at the toss, for a fourth-ball duck. Josh Hazlewood claimed the wicket of in-form Quinton de Kock for three as Cummins took a stunning catch. De Kock, who will quit one-day international after the World Cup, ended with 594 runs including
S Africa in trouble before drizzle halts semi v Australia
KOLKATA :South Africa were reeling at 44-4 in the second semi-final of the 50-overs cricket World Cup against Australia when light rain stopped play at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.
Aussies rely on title wins and 'extra leg' in Cricket World Cup semi-final against SA
Australia skipper Pat Cummins said his players will draw on experience from previous title wins in their World Cup semi-final clash with South Africa, spurred on by Glenn Maxwell's heroics having given them "an extra leg".
Australia win toss and opt to bowl against Bangladesh in World Cup
Australia skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first in their final World Cup pool stage clash with Bangladesh at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Saturday.
Hazlewood expects Maxwell to face Bangladesh after Miracle of Mumbai
Paceman Josh Hazlewood expects Glenn Maxwell to face Bangladesh in Australia's final round-robin match at the World Cup this weekend despite the gruelling nature of his spectacular innings against Afghanistan on Tuesday.
Tunbridge Wells And Wankhede: When Cummins' Lieutenants Remained 'Fixated' Like Kapil's Devils
It was a cold morning in Tunbridge Wells back then in 1983 and after 40 years, the warm evening at the Wankhede carried the same vibes. It was Kapil Dev back then and it was Glenn Maxwell now. It was 17 for 5 against an unheralded Zimbabwe team full of professionals playing league cricket in England back then and on Tuesday night, it was 91 for 7 against an Afghanistan attack full of T20 league freelancers across the globe. The similarities don't end there.
Midas Touch? The Sachin Tendulkar Factor Driving Afghanistan In Cricket World Cup 2023 Game Against Australia
Among all Afghan players, Ibrahim Zadran spent the longest time with Sachin Tendulkar on the eve of their Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Australia, taking batting lessons from the all-time great. The one-on-one chat with the master had its effect, for the 21-year-old opener on Tuesday became the first player from Afghanistan to record a hundred in a World Cup match. Needless to say, Zadran thanked the batting great for his invaluable tips moments after reaching the landmark. Thanks to his brilliant knock of 129, Afghanistan posted a challenging 291 for five against an attack comprising Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa.