Mitchell Marsh Credits Weather, Young Guns After Australia’s DLS Win Over India in Rain-Hit Perth ODI
Mumbai: Stand-in skipper Mitchell Marsh admitted that unpredictable weather played a major role in Australia’s seven-wicket (DLS method) win over India in the rain-curtailed series opener at Optus Stadium, Perth, on Saturday.
Persistent showers disrupted the contest multiple times, reducing the match from 50 overs to just 26 overs per side. Despite the interruptions, Marsh led from the front with an unbeaten 46 off 52 balls, guiding Australia to their first-ever ODI victory at Optus Stadium and ending India’s eight-match winning streak in the format this year.
Rain Disrupts India’s Rhythm
After being asked to bat first, India’s innings was marred by four separate rain breaks. The first delay came in the ninth over when captain Shubman Gill was dismissed down the leg side. The stoppages successively reduced the match duration — first to 49 overs, then 35, followed by 32, and finally to 26 overs per side.
India never found momentum, with senior batters Rohit Sharma (8) and Virat Kohli (0) falling cheaply on their return to ODI cricket. KL Rahul (38) and Axar Patel (31) offered brief resistance, while Nitish Kumar Reddy’s unbeaten 19 pushed India to 136/9. The target was later revised to 131 under the DLS method.
Marsh, Debutants Seal Victory
Chasing the modest total, Australia suffered an early jolt when Arshdeep Singh dismissed Travis Head, but Marsh anchored the chase with maturity. Debutants Mitchell Owen, Matthew Renshaw, and Matthew Kuhnemann, along with returning wicketkeeper Josh Philippe, all made significant contributions.
Philippe scored 37, Renshaw took three catches and remained unbeaten on 21, while Owen picked up key wickets of KL Rahul and Harshit Rana. Kuhnemann also impressed, dismissing Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.
Marsh Praises Team Effort
Reflecting on the win, Marsh, who was named Player of the Match, said, “The weather played its part today. Big thanks to the crowd that stuck around. I know these days can be really frustrating, but it’s nice to get a win. I love playing for Australia, and it’s always special to win at home.”
Praising his young teammates for stepping up in the absence of regular stars like Pat Cummins, Alex Carey, and Adam Zampa, Marsh added, “It was swinging around a little bit. We knew that was going to be the case for both teams. Proud of the way our young guys came out, took the game on, and got us over the line.”
With this win, Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series, while India will look to regroup and bounce back in the second encounter.
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