Hosts India and five-time champions Australia are set to kick off their campaign in the ICC ODI World Cup with a high-voltage face-off on October 8. Both teams have squared off 12 times in this global showpiece since the inaugural 1975 edition. It is a record in terms of clashes between any teams in the World Cup. Except for 1975, 1979 and the 2007 edition, India and Australia have met each other at least once in every ODI World Cup. Their maiden face-off in this marquee tournament came in 1983 when the Aussies had the last laugh.
Australia leads the overall head-to-head record as well, having triumphed in eight clashes. For India, Sachin Tendulkar is the highest run-getter while Rickey Ponting tops the list for Australia. Tendulkar faced Australia six times in the World Cup and accumulated 194 runs. Ponting played five World Cup games against India, aggregating 303 runs.
Ahead of their 13th meeting at Chepauk, let’s take a look at the previous World Cup fixtures between India and Australia:
1983, Nottingham
India and Australia first time faced off in the 1983 World Cup. After a poor show in the first two editions, India made a roaring start to the 193 campaign, with victories over West Indies and Zimbabwe. The Kapil Dev-led side suffered their first loss when Australia beat them by 162 runs. For Australia, Trevor Chappell notched a century and Ken Macleay picked up six wickets. The only positive for India was a five-wicket haul from captain Kapil Dev.
India made sure to take sweet revenge in the return clash at Chelmsford. It was a must-win game for India to secure their place in the semi-finals. Indian bowlers shone on the occasion, defending an achievable target of 248 runs. Madan Lal and Roger Binny wrapped up with four wickets each.
1987, Chennai
In the third match of the 1987 World Cup, Australia edged past India for a 1-run victory during a nail-biting encounter in Chennai. The visitors posted 270 runs on the board, powered by a 110-run knock from Geoff Marsh. India’s debutant Navjot Sidhu showcased his big-hitting prowess following a comprehensive start by the opening pair. Sindhu smacked five sixes and four boundaries during his 73-run innings. But he failed to take India across the victory line.
India could turn the table in the second clash, securing a commanding 56-run victory in Delhi. Mohammad Azharuddin played an unbeaten knock of 54 runs and grabbed a three-wicket haul, restricting Australia to 233 runs.
1992, Brisbane
Australia secured another 1-run victory over India in the 1992 World Cup. Dean Jones was named the Player of the Match, thanks to his 90-run knock that helped Australia produce 237 runs in the first innings. Azharuddin played an exceptional 93-run innings but his efforts were not enough to seal the deal.
1996, Mumbai
It was the first day-night ODI to be hosted at Wankhede and Sachin Tendulkar lit up the show with a boundary-laden 90-run knock. Australia batted first and produced 258 runs, riding on a century by Mark Waugh. Apart from Tendulkar, only Sanjay Manjrekar could make a notable contribution to the chase, scoring 62 off 91 balls. The hosts ultimately fell 16 runs short of the target.
1999, The Oval
Australia trounced India for a 77-run win in a must-win clash during the 1999 campaign. Australian batters appeared in swashbuckling form and set a target of 283 runs. From India, Ajay Jadeja registered an unbeaten hundred but didn’t get the necessary assistance from his teammates. Robin Singh was the second-highest scorer with 75 runs to his name.
2003, Centurion
When Australia and India clashed in the 2003 World Cup at Centurion, it turned out to be a game of the bowlers. Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie picked up three wickets each to bowl out India for a paltry total of 125 runs. Australia lost only one wicket during the chase and reached the target in 22.2 overs.
Both teams once again met in the final, with Australia continuing their dominance to secure the second consecutive title. The Ricky Ponting-led side posted a mammoth 359 runs, with the skipper leading from the front. Ponting scored 140 runs off 121 deliveries to take home the Player of the Match award. India went bundled out for 234 runs in 39.2 overs.
2011, Ahmedabad
India registered a 5-wicket win over Australia in the quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup. Thanks to his all-around contribution, Yuvraj Singh was named the Player of the Match. The southpaw made an unbeaten 57 off 65 balls while fetching two scalps with the ball. Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir also scored fifties in the match.
2015, Sydney
India suffered an exit from the 2015 World Cup after losing the semi-final to hosts Australia by 95 runs. Steve Smith top-scored for the home unit, scoring 105 off 93 balls. In reply to a 329-run target, India faced a massive collapse in batting. Captain MS Dhoni was the only standout batter with 65 runs.
2019, The Oval
During a group-stage fixture of the 2019 campaign, India triumphed over Australia by 36 runs at the Oval. The Indian top-order stole the show, with three batters smashing half-centuries. Shikhar Dhawan scored a century, powering India to a huge 352 runs. Australia could manage 361 runs during the chase.
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