| Scorecard: | Australia v India |
| Player: | TD Paine, RT Ponting, MEK Hussey |
| Event: | ICC Champions Trophy 2009/10 |
There could had been only two things an Indian fan was hoping after the weather interrupted the crucial India vs Australia clash. One a 20-over affair because in that case, the target (153) thought difficult looked a little gettable then compared to the 267 they would have had to scale in case of a 42-over match. The other option was a washout. It seems the rain gods were listening because after this washout, India lives to fight another day in the Champions Trophy 2009.
Their fate now hinges on the Pakistan and Australia encounter where a Pakistan win is the only way India stand a chance, provided they beat West Indies comprehensively. The one team that stood out the biggest gainer of this washout was Pakistan who have now sealed their way into the final four.
The equation that stands now is that India needs to pull off a comprehensive win against West Indies, wait for Pakistan to beat Australia, and also have a superior net run rate. If Australia win their next game, India are virtually out.
Earlier in the day, Ricky Ponting won the toss and decided to bat first on a belter of a track. The Indians had decided to drop RP in favour of Praveen Kumar and the decision looked good as Nehra and Kumar looked to trouble the Aussie openers from the very beginning. Nehra drew first blood dismissing Shane Watson on a bouncing delivery at the middle stump, angled towards off. Watson went for the pull but the ball ballooned towards Harbhajan at midwicket.
Thereafter India did not have many good moments in the game. All the hard work put in by Praveen and Nehra went in vain as no other bowler looked like troubling any Aussie batsmen. Ponting, Michael Hussey and Tim Paine, all made fifties and when the rain came pouring Cameron White was busy enhancing the run-rate as Australia were looking to easily cross 300 in their innings.
First Ponting and Paine (56) added 84 for the second wicket as Ishant Sharma proved the nemesis for the Indian bowling. He gave away all the width and room possible to comfortably let Ponting and Paine settle in after they were ruffled by the initial spell of the seamers. Paine played the aggressor and Ponting throughout his stay looked like he wanted to sheet anchor the innings.
Then after Paine fell to an unusual dismissal off Amit Mishra, Hussey and Ponting took care of the middle overs and comfortably guided Australia keeping the scoreboard moving at more than a decent rate.
India were at this stage desperately looking for a breakthrough and no bowler was looked good for it. Finally Gautam Gambhir took the lead and ran out Punter via a magnificent direct hit from the deep.
Then after adding 52 runs with Cameron White, Hussey also fell holing out to long-off. Ishant Sharma bowled a full delivery outside the off stump, to which Hussey reached out to lift it straight to Sachin.
Callum Ferguson and White were the two batsman at the crease when rain intervened and though throughout play there wasn't much joy for India, who in theory needed to win the match to stay afloat in the tournament, a washout also now keeps their hopes alive.