India vs Australia at ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup: A history of many firsts and world records

Having gone through two disappointing World Cups, India began 1983 on a high, with wins against the West Indies and Zimbabwe. The journey came to a halt against Trevor Chappell (110) and Ken Macleay (6-39). India’s only consolation was Kapil Dev’s 5-43 – the first ODI five-wicket haul in the history of the nation.

1983, Chelmsford: India won by 118 runs

Player of the Match: Roger Binny

India had to win the return match to qualify for the semifinals. They made only 247, but Roger Binny (4-29) rose to the occasion, quickly reducing Australia to 52-4. Madan Lal (4-20) rounded things off, and India won by 118 runs. They went on to win the semifinal and final, and Binny finished as the leading wicket-taker of the World Cup.

1987, Madras: Australia won by 1 run

Player of the Match: Geoff Marsh

When Australia made 268-6, replays suggested that a four given to Dean Jones was a six. Kapil consented, and the score was adjusted to 270-6. Despite a violent innings from a debutant Navjot Sidhu – he hit five sixes in his 73 – India lost by a run. With two to score in two balls, Steve Waugh bowled Maninder Singh. What if Kapil had not agreed?

1987, Delhi: India won by 56 runs

Player of the Match: Mohammad Azharuddin

India had their revenge in style. Four of their batters got 50s as they amassed 289-6. Maninder then bowled beautifully for his 3-34 before Mohammad Azharuddin followed his 45-ball 54 not out with 3-19.
One of Azharuddin’s catches, off his own bowling, finished second at the inaugural Bush Great Catches Contest.

1992, Brisbane: Australia won by 1 run

Player of the Match: Dean Jones

Jones made 90 in Australia’s 237-9. It rained when India were 45-1 after 16.2 overs, and India’s target was adjusted to 236 in 47 overs. Azharuddin rose to the occasion once again, with 93, while support came from Sanjay Manjrekar (47 in 42 balls). India needed four off the last ball. Steve Waugh dropped the catch, but his throw found Venkatapathy Raju short as the Indians went for the third run.

1996, Bombay: Australia won by 16 runs

Player of the Match: Mark Waugh

Mark Waugh’s 126 made him the first man to score hundreds in consecutive World Cup innings, but Australia collapsed spectacularly. Their five run outs included Waugh, and the last four wickets all went down at 258. Sachin Tendulkar then lit up the first day-night ODI in his hometown with an 84-ball 90, while Manjrekar, another local star, made 62. Waugh came to the forefront again, bowling a wide to have Tendulkar stumped. The Indian chase ran out of steam.

1999, The Oval (Super Sixes): Australia won by 77 runs

Player of the Match: Glenn McGrath

Both teams had to win this match to keep their hopes for the semifinals alive. After Mark Waugh’s 83 took Australia to 282-6, Glenn McGrath effectively killed India’s chase by taking out Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Azharuddin with his first 20 balls. A 141-run stand between Ajay Jadeja (100 not out) and Robin Singh (75) did not suffice.

2003, Centurion: Australia won by 9 wickets with 166 balls to spare

Player of the Match: Jason Gillespie

After Brett Lee struck twice early, Tendulkar and Dravid went on the defensive. They saw McGrath and Lee off, hanging on grimly to add three in 35 balls. But once Jason Gillespie (3-13) came on, India simply wilted away to fold for 125.

Australia won inside 23 overs. It took a message from Tendulkar to calm the angry fans back home.

2003, Johannesburg (Final): Australia won by 125 runs

Player of the Match: Ricky Ponting

After the abovementioned defeat, India won eight matches on the trot to qualify for the final before running into Australia again. Opting to bowl, they were blown away by Ricky Ponting (140 not out, 121 balls) and Damien Martyn (88 not out, 84 balls).

How one-sided were the contests? Australia made 359-2 in the final. Across the two matches against Australia in the 2003 World Cup, India made 359-20.

2011, Ahmedabad (Quarterfinal): India won by 5 wickets with 14 balls to spare

Player of the Match: Yuvraj Singh

To qualify for the semifinal, India needed to beat Australia, who had won the last three World Cups, and had beaten India five times on the trot in the tournament.

India began well after Ponting’s 104 took Australia to 260-6. At 94-1, they seemed on track, but at 187-5, a sense of déjà vu began to haunt the Indian fans. Thankfully, Yuvraj Singh (57 not out) and Suresh Raina (34 not out) ensured India did not lose further wickets. Two wins later, India won their second World Cup.

2015, Sydney (Semifinal): Australia won by 95 runs

Player of the Match: Steve Smith

Until this match, India had bowled out every side at the 2015 World Cup and won every match. The bowling fell apart for the first time here as Steve Smith’s 93-ball 105 took Australia to 328-7. Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan then added 76 in 77 balls, but once they fell and the asking rate mounted, M.S. Dhoni’s run-a-ball 65 was never going to be enough.

2019, The Oval: India won by 36 runs

Player of the Match: Shikhar Dhawan

India avenged their World Cup defeat from two decades ago at the same venue. After Rohit fell for 57, Dhawan (117 in 109 balls) and Virat Kohli (82 in 77) kept India on top. Hardik Pandya, Dhoni, and K.L. Rahul then all hit out lustily to lift India to 352-5.

During the innings, some fans booed Smith, back from a one-year ban not too long ago after being accused of ball-tampering. Amidst the ‘cheater’ calls, Kohli walked towards the crowd and requested them to calm down.
When Australia batted, David Warner (56) and Smith (69) reduced the target to 220 in 153 balls with nine wickets in hand, but periodic strikes from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-50) and Jasprit Bumrah (3-61) stopped Australia in their tracks.