Virat Kohli’s India is clashing with defending champions Australia of Aaron Finch, which features former captain Steve Smith in the side at the Oval in the 14th match of the ICC World Cup 2019. India batted first and thanks to 117 from Shikhar Dhawan, 82 from Virat Kohli and a fifty from Rohit Sharma put on 352/5 on the board.
Virat Kohli not only impressed with his strokeplay which included a six over covers to Kangaroos’ spearhead Mitchell Starc, but he also set a brilliant example as a leader and captain. Steve Smith was asked to field at the boundary as Australia chased leather.
However, Smith was booed and chants of cheater were heard from the stands behind the former Australia captain. Steve Smith and David Warner were banned for a year over their roles in the ball-tampering scandal which erupted in Cape Town last year. Both men returned to the Indian Premier League in 2019 to play for their respective teams and were selected for the World Cup.
Virat Kohli showed his classy side when he asked a section of the crowd to stop the cheater chants at Steve Smith. Kohli instead asked the crowd to clap for Smith.
