Mohammed Shami claims 5/51 as India restrict Australia to 276 in Mohali ODI

Team India pacer Mohammed Shami shone with career-best ODI figures of 5/51 as the Men in Blue restricted Australia to 276 in the first one-dayer at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Friday, September 22.

Bowling first after winning the toss, India got off to a very good start as Shami forced Mitchell Marsh (4) to edge a full delivery that shaped away to slip in the first over. The experienced hands of David Warner and Steve Smith, however, lifted Australia, adding 94 for the second wicket.

India could have had Warner’s scalp on 16, but Shreyas Iyer dropped a sitter at mid-off after the Australian opener pushed a length ball off Shardul Thakur aerially. Warner helped himself to a six off Ravichandran Ashwin, pulling the off-spinner over wide long-on in the 12th over. Another maximum came off a short ball from Thakur that was dispatched over midwicket.

The Aussie opener eased to 50 off 49 balls with a single off Ashwin. At the other end, Smith took on the off-spinner and hammered him for a six and a four in the 18th over. Ravindra Jadeja provided India with the much-needed breakthrough as Warner (52 off 53) miscued a slog-sweep to wide long-on. Shami then returned to knock over Smith (41 off 60) with a length ball that seamed back in sharply.

Marnus Labuschagne should have been dismissed for 11 following a mix-up with Cameron Green, but survived since makeshift keeper KL Rahul failed to collect the throw cleanly. The duo went on to feature in a defiant stand, adding 45 for the fourth wicket. Just when the partnership seemed to be putting the visitors on top, Labuschagne (39 off 49) was dismissed in a bizarre fashion.

The maverick right-handed batter attempted a reverse sweep off Ashwin but failed to pull off the stroke. The ball hit keeper Rahul's pads and was deflected back onto the stumps, with Labuschagne’s foot out of his crease.

After a short rain delay, Australia lost Green (31 off 52) following a horrible lack of communication. The all-rounder wanted a second run and was more than halfway down the crease. Josh Inglis refused and Suryakumar Yadav flicked the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Green far short of his crease.

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Shami runs through lower order after Inglis-Stoinis stand

Following the dismissals of Labuschagne and Green, Inglis lifted Australia with an impressive display of big hitting. He added 62 for the sixth wicket with Marcus Stoinis. Both batters were severe on Thakur. Stoinis hammered the pacer for consecutive fours in the 42nd over, while Inglis drilled him for four and six off successive balls in the 44th over. The latter even struck a brilliant inside out six off Jasprit Bumrah.

The fighting stand ended when Shami castled Stoinis (29 off 21) after the Aussie had bludgeoned him for consecutive fours. In the next over, Bumrah ended Inglis' (45 off 45) resistance with a slower ball that the batter could only miscue to cover. Shami had his fourth when Matthew Short (2) mistimed a slower ball to deep midwicket. He completed a much-deserved five-fer when Sean Abbott (2) chopped one back onto his stumps.

A blazing cameo from skipper Pat Cummins (21 off 9), which featured two fours and a six, lifted Australia past 275, but India would have been the happier side at the halfway stage of the match.