The stage is set, the fans are ready and it’s almost time to celebrate the biggest tournament of the year when the men in blue will be up against the Kangaroos at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat for the ICC World Cup 2023 Final on Sunday, 19 November.
India vs Australia - two cricketing powerhouses whose chronicles of glory and grit have resulted in incredible feats of skill over the years.
In the last three decades, the two have faced each other 13 times in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup – a record for any pair of teams in 13 editions in the 48-year-long history of the tournament. The teams did not play each other in 1975 or 1979, but they have met in each of the following 11 World Cups, with the exception of 2007.
The men in yellow hold the edge in these matches, having got the better of India in 8 out of 13 games. From nail-biting encounters to iconic performances, let's traverse through the annals of their ODI World Cup battles:
1983 - Australia Won By 162 Runs (Nottingham)
The 1983 edition of the mega-tournament saw India and Australia play each other for the first time, at the Trent Bridge with Kapil Dev's team losing badly by 162 runs. Batting first, Australia amassed 320/9 in 60 overs. In reply, India was dismissed for 158 in 37.5 overs.
1983 - India Won By 118 Runs (Chelmsford)
On June 20, 1983, India played Australia in the group stage of the World Cup for the second time. India won that game by a score of 118 runs.
After bowling Australia out for 129 runs in 38.2 overs, the men in blue finished with a score of 247/5 in 60 overs, with Kris Srikkanth top-scoring with 38 runs. With the ball, Mohinder Amarnath was outstanding, taking three wickets at a cost of twelve runs. India's triumph was a major turning point in the tournament as it set them up for their first-ever Cricket World Cup victory.
1987 - Australia Won By 1 Run (Chennai)
At Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on October 9, 1987, the Kangaroos thumped India by mere 1 run.
The visitors batted first in that game and amassed 270/6 in 50 overs. India's response saw them reach 269/6 in 50 overs, just one run short. This remains one of the closest and memorable encounters in ODI World Cup history.
1987 - India Won By 56 Runs (Delhi)
This was the second time India squared off against the Aussies in the 87 World Cup in Brisbane.
The visitors scored 289/6, with a notable century from Sunil Gavaskar. Australia put up a great fight, but Maninder Singh's crucial wickets and outstanding fielding helped India win by 56 runs.
1992 - Australia Won By 1 Run (Brisbane)
In Australia's 237-9, Dean Jones top scored with 90 runs. India's target was revised to 236 in 47 overs as rain curtailed the match at 45-1 after 16.2 overs.
Despite Sanjay Manjrekar's (47 in 42 balls) assistance, Azharuddin again rose to the occasion with 93. With one ball remaining, India needed four. As India attempted their winning run in Brisbane, Venkatapathy Raju was run out off the final delivery of the game.
1996 - Australia Won By 16 Runs (Mumbai)
India and Australia competed in the 1996 Wills World Cup on February 27, 1996, at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Australia made a total of 258/7 in their 50 overs while batting first. With 126 runs, Mark Waugh led Australia in scoring.
Then, in his hometown, Sachin Tendulkar lit up the first day-night ODI with an 84-ball 90, while another local star, Manjrekar, made 62. Waugh took Tendulkar's wicket to take the lead once more. The Australians won by 16 runs as the Indian chase ran out of gas.
1999 - Australia Won By 77 Runs (The Oval)
On May 26, 1999, at Kennington Oval, India and Australia played a Super Six match during the 1999 Cricket World Cup. Australia made a total of 282/4 in their 50 overs while batting first. With an undefeated century, Steve Waugh led all scorers.
India replied, but could not quite reach the target, scoring 235/7 in 47 overs. With 53 runs scored, Rahul Dravid had a noteworthy inning. It was a 77-run victory for Australia.
2003 - Australia Won By 9 Wickets (Centurion)
During the 2003 World Cup, India and Australia played a memorable league-stage match at SuperSport Park in Centurion on February 15, 2003.
India batted first and were bowled out for a meagre total of 126 runs in 41.4 overs. In an easy chase, Australia successfully reached the target in 22.2 overs with nine wickets remaining.
2003 - Australia Won the Final By 125 Runs (Johannesburg)
India and Australia faced off in the 2003 World Cup final, which took place on March 23, 2003, at Johannesburg's Wanderers Stadium. Australia elected to bat first and set a steep 359/2 in 50 over target. Ricky Ponting scored an undefeated 140 in an innings that will never be forgotten.
India tried hard in reply, but could only muster 234/10 in 39.2 overs. Rahul Dravid led India in scoring with 47 runs. Australia won the World Cup for the second time in a row, winning by a margin of 125 runs.
2011: India Won By 5 Wickets (Ahmedabad)
On March 24, 2011, India and Australia squared off in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Cricket World Cup at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium. India advanced to the semifinals by winning by a margin of five wickets.
Australia chose to bat first and set a target for India of 261 runs, with Ricky Ponting leading the way with 104 runs. India effectively chased down the target in response, scoring 261/5 in 47.4 overs. With an important fifty runs in one innings from Gautam Gambhir and seven runs from MS Dhoni, India won.
2015: Australia Won By 95 Runs (Sydney)
India and Australia met in the semi-finals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup on March 26, 2015, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia batted first and scored 328/7 in 50 overs, with Steve Smith top-scoring with 105 runs.
In response, India fought hard but fell short, scoring 233/10 in 46.5 overs. With 45 runs, India's top scorer was Shikhar Dhawan. Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner were among Australia's key bowlers. The hosts won the match by 95 runs, securing a place in the 2015 World Cup final.
2019: India Won By 36 Runs (The Oval)
On June 9, 2019, India and Australia played a league-stage match at The Oval in London during the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Australia batted first, setting India a target of 353 runs. With 107 runs, Australia's top scorer was David Warner.
India responded with a strong effort, with Shikhar Dhawan scoring 117 runs and Virat Kohli contributing 82. Despite the individual performances, India fell short, scoring 352/5 in 50 overs, and Australia won the match by 36 runs.
2023: India Won By 6 Wickets (Chennai)
In their most recent encounter, the men in blue were up against the Aussies in their campaign opener on 7 October at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Opting to bat first, Australia were bundled 199 runs in 49.3 overs. Ravindra Jadeja led the bowling attack as he claimed three wickets while Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav bagged two apiece.
In the second innings, after losing openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan on ducks, Virat Kohli's 116-ball-85 and KL Rahul’s 97 off 115 deliveries guided India to a six-wicket victory in 41.2 overs.
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