Australia is edging closer to a semi-final spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup with a heart-pounding five-run victory over New Zealand in Dharamsala.
Australia set a monstrous target of 388, thanks to a fantastic 175-run opening stand between World Cup debutant Travis Head and David Warner. However, New Zealand came painfully close to a historic run chase, finishing at 383-9. Rachin Ravindra’s brilliant century (116) and Jimmy Neesham’s explosive 58 off 39 balls kept the Kiwis in contention in a high-intensity contest.
Neesham’s heroics took New Zealand to the brink of an outstanding comeback, but a superb run-out removed him on the penultimate ball of the chase.
With six runs needed off the final ball, speedster Mitchell Starc held his nerve, securing Australia’s victory as number eleven Lockie Ferguson couldn’t deliver the final blow.
Despite this intense match, the points table remains relatively unchanged. Both Australia and New Zealand now have 4 wins from 6 games, with New Zealand holding the third position due to a slightly better net run rate.
Final scores: AUS 388 (49.2) | NZ 383-9 (50.0)