The defending champions, Australia, were already on a row to keep their winning streak running after trumping over Afghanistan, while the Windies having some big guns on their team were already looking forward to another victory against the Aussies to show their intentions of staying in the tournament till the end. The 5-times World Champions, Australia went on to bat after losing the toss, but the Windies were quick to dismiss the two openers David Warner (3 out; 8b) and captain Aaron Finch (6 out; 10b), and no.4 player Khwaja (13 out; 19b; 2X4) also succumbed soon after while the Aussies were still looking for ways of countering the Windies attacks. However, Steve Smith (73 out; 107b; 7X4) started a mature game of sticking to his wickets and not try any heroics at that time, but his partners failed to cooperate and delivered only some cameos, until Nathan Coulter-Nile (92 out; 60b; 8X4, 4X6) walked up to the crease and played a blitzkrieg knock of 92 off just 60 balls which helped Australia to score 288 from the 50 overs, losing all of their wickets.
The second half of the game was mostly about Mitchell Starc’s stellar performance with a 5-wicket haul, to restrict West Indian players from going big and striking early wickets. Australia did manage to get some early wickets but added with some controversy surrounding Umpire’s decision of a clear No-Ball bowled by Mitchell Starc on the ball that Chris Gayle (21 out; 17b; 4X4) got out, and this was not the only time Gayle faced the situation in a single game before concluding his time on the crease. Shai Hope (68 out; 105b; 7X4) at no.4 and Nicholas Pooran (40 out; 36b; 5X4, 1X6) started to build a partnership, while the rest put some cameos including captain Jason Holder’s (51 out; 57b; 7X4, 1X6) half century, but could not get the team over the winning line against Australia. The rest of the team crumbled under Mitchell Starc’s fierce pace attacks, and the 46th over he secures 2 wickets of Holder and Carlos Brathwaite (16 out; 17b; 1X4, 1X6), as West Indies fell 15 runs short of the target in their 50 overs.
