Rohit and Co. sink to new ODI low as Australia's Starc zooms past Malinga for massive World Cup feat

Mitchell Starc shattered Lasith Malinga's World Cup record during Australia's match against India. Team India also created multiple unwanted records.

After India's spin-heavy side bowled out Pat Cummins’ Australia for a paltry total in its World Cup 2023 opener at Chepauk, the onus was on Australian pacers to keep the five-time world champions in the hunt. Breathing fire in the opening powerplay, the Mitchell Starc-starrer bowling attack triggered a rare batting collapse of Rohit Sharma and Co. in match No.5 of the World Cup at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Australia's Mitchell Starc celebrates the wicket of India's Ishan Kishan (AP)

Asked to chase down a scanty total of 200 against the mighty Australian side, India lost three wickets for a duck inside the first two overs. Leading the pace attack of the record-time world champions, pace ace Starc handed opener Ishan Kishan a golden duck in the first over. Joining forces with Starc, speedster Josh Hazlewood removed India skipper Rohit Sharma for a six-ball duck in the second over. Hazlewood then silenced the Chennai crowd by getting the better of Shreyas Iyer for a three-ball duck in the same over.

Indian batters script unwanted ODI record

India achieved an unwanted record after openers Rohit, Kishan and premier batter Iyer were dismissed for nought in the same match. For the first time in the history of men's One Day Internationals (ODIs), three of India's top-four batters failed to open their respective accounts.

Dubious feat for Rohit and Kishan

Indian openers Rohit and Kishan also achieved a dubious feat for India in the World Cup encounter. This was the second time that India lost both of its openers for a duck in a World Cup game. Sunil Gavaskar and K Srikkanth were the first Indian openers to get dismissed for ducks in a World Cup match (against Zimbabwe) back in 1983.

Team India records second-lowest Powerplay score

Interestingly, Team India registered their second-lowest Powerplay score in the history of the ODI World Cup. India reached 27/3 against Australia at Chennai in the first powerplay. During the 2019 World Cup, the Men In Blue were reduced to 24/4 against New Zealand which is India's lowest score in powerplay at the 50-over spectacle.

Starc shatters Malinga's record

Talking more about the low-scoring encounter in Chennai, Australian pacer Starc shattered Lasith Malinga's World Cup record by becoming the fastest bowler to take 50 wickets. Starc completed the staggering feat in 19 innings at the ODI World Cup. Legendary Sri Lanka pacer Malinga bagged 50 wickets in 25 innings while icons Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan achieved the seam feat in 30 innings.