Shami, Siraj claim three-fers as Australia bowled out for 188 in 1st IND vs AUS ODI

Mohammed Shami (3-17) and Mohammed Siraj (3-29) shone with the ball as India bowled out Australia for 188 in 35.4 overs in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday (March 17).

Asked to bat first after losing the toss, the visitors were in a decent position at 129-2 in the 20th over. However, they lost eight for 59 to finish with an underwhelming total.

India got off to a confident start as Travis Head (5) dragged a good-length delivery from Siraj back onto his stumps. Mitchell Marsh (81 off 65) and Steve Smith (22 off 30) added 72 for the second wicket to lay a good foundation for the Aussies.

Marsh displayed excellent form, whacking Siraj for three fours in the fourth over. He continued to find boundaries, launching Shardul Thakur for a six over his head in the tenth over. Another maximum followed in the next over bowled by Hardik Pandya as Marsh played a pick-up shot over midwicket.

Smith was given out lbw to Thakur on 22, but got the decision overturned as he had hit the ball. The Australian captain did not last too long, though. Smith attempted to cut a delivery from Pandya but only managed an edge, and KL Rahul took a sharp catch.

At the other end, Marsh brought up an impressive half-century by punching Kuldeep Yadav through extra cover for four. The right-hander enjoyed himself against the Indian spinners, as two sixes and a boundary came in the space of four deliveries.

A smart piece of bowling from Ravindra Jadeja, though, ended Marsh’s belligerent knock. The right-hander tried to smash a tossed-up delivery but got a thick outside edge, which was caught at short third man.

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Australia’s middle and lower order implodes

Kuldeep dismissed Marnus Labuschagne (15), with the batter picking the wrong ball to cut, and was brilliantly caught by Jadeja. Josh Inglis (26) pulled a short one from Shami to the deep-backward square leg boundary before dragging a delivery from the pacer onto his stumps.

The bowler then produced an excellent delivery to beat Cameron Green (12)'s defence, knocking out his off-stump. Shami could have had two in two had Shubman Gill held on to a catch offered by Marcus Stoinis at slip.

Gill made amends in Shami’s next over as Stoinis (five) again edged a length ball and got the edge. Glenn Maxwell (eight) mistimed a big hit off Jadeja and was caught at short midwicket.

Siraj then cleaned up the Australian tail, dismissing Sean Abbott (0) and Adam Zampa (0) in a short span of time.