On Day 3 of the India vs Australia WTC Final, India managed to avoid complete embarrassment thanks to a courageous partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur, who put up 109 runs off 145 balls for the seventh wicket. Despite Rahane falling to Pat Cummins for 89 and Thakur reaching a half century before being dismissed by Cameron Green for 51, India lost only one wicket in the first session.
Australia eventually took a first innings lead of 173 runs after India were all out for 296. In Australia’s second innings, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami made an early breakthrough by dismissing David Warner, but Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja managed to survive until Tea. Khawaja fell soon after resumption, but Steve Smith and Labuschagne put up a 62-run partnership for the third wicket before Smith was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja.
Travis Head also fell to Jadeja without scoring many runs. Cameron Green and Labuschagne then batted until Stumps, with Australia firmly in control despite the slow scoring rate. Australia finished the day at 123/4, leading by 296 runs.
Australia 2nd Innings 86/2 (29 Overs) – Lead by 259 runs
Usman Khawaja c Srikar Bharat b Umesh 13 (39)
David Warner c Srikar Bharat b Siraj 1 (8)
Marnus Labuschagne batting 35 (91)
Steven Smith c Thakur b Jadeja 34(47)
Travis Head batting 3 (5)
India 1st Innings 296 runs- All-out (Trail by 173 runs)
Rohit Sharma lbw b Cummins 15 (26)
Shubman Gill b Boland 13 (15)
Pujara b Green 14 (25)
Kohli c Smith b Starc 14 (31)
Ajinkya Rahane c Green b Cummins 89 (129)
Ravindra Jadeja c Steven Smith b Lyon 48 (51)
Srikar Bharat b Boland 5 (15)
Shardul Thakur c Carey b Green 51 (109)
Umesh Yadav b Cummins 5 (11)
Mohammed Shami c Carey b Starc 13 (11)
Mohammed Siraj not out 0 (3)
Australia Bowling (Overs-Maidens-Runs-Wkts)
Starc 13.4-0-71-2
Cummins 20-2-83-3
Boland 20-6-59-2
Green 12-1-44-2
Lyon 4-0-19-1
Australia 1st Innings 469-All Out (121.3 Overs)
David Warner c Srikar Bharat b Thakur 43 (60)
Usman Khawaja c Srikar Bharat b Siraj 0 (10)
Marnus Labuschagne b Shami 26 (62)
Steven Smith b Thakur 121 (268)
Travis Head c Srikar Bharat b Siraj 163 (174)
Cameron Green c Shubman Gill b Shami
Alex Carey lbw b Jadeja 48 (69)
Mitchell Starc run out (sub) Axar 5 (20)
Pat Cummins c Rahane b Siraj 9 (34)
Nathan Lyon b Siraj 9 (25)
Scott Boland not out 1 (7)
India Bowling (Overs-Maidens-Runs-Wkts)
Mohammed Shami 29-4-122-2
Mohammed Siraj 28.3-4-108-4
Umesh Yadav 23-5-77-0
Shardul Thakur 23-4-83-2
Ravindra Jadeja 18-2-56-1
