The nerves were jangling. It was anybody's game till the very end. Just like the 2019 World Cup final, New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham was in the thick of the action this time too. But five-time champions Australia proved that wee bit stronger to edge their Trans-Tasman rivals by five runs in Dharamsala. It was a glorious run-fest in which 771 runs were scored, as the Kiwis mounted a remarkable chase of Australia's mammoth 389-run target. But the Aussies bowled and fielded brilliantly at the death to pip their rivals and draw level with them on the points table (eight points apiece). (Scorecard | Report | Points Table | Full Coverage)
Cricket connoisseurs were treated to their second cliff-hanger in a row at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Saturday evening, after the previous night's nail-biting thriller between Pakistan and South Africa, where the Proteas emerged victors by a wafer-thin margin. These games augur well for the showpiece tournament, where one can now expect to see more such high-octane drama in the upcoming fixtures.
