An in-swinging delivery, cleaning up the batter through his bat and pad, is a dream ball for any pacer and Mohammed Shami gave Marnus Labuschagne a first-hand experience of it.
During the second session on Day 1 of WTC final between India and Australia, Shami bowled the number 1 batter in Test cricket with a peach of a delivery.
It helped India bounce back in the contest as Labuschagne was well settled on a 62-ball 26. The wicket reduced Australia to 76/3 at the Oval.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl first on a wicket that had some juice for the pacers.
Mohammed Siraj removed Usman Khawaja for a duck but David Warner and Labuschaagne fought back with a 69-run stand.
It was Shardul Thakur who proved to be the partnership breaker and removed a dangerous-looking Warner for 43 as Australia went into lunch at 73/2.
TEAM INDIA PLAYING XI FOR WTC FINAL 2023
RG Sharma*, Shubman Gill, CA Pujara, V Kohli, AM Rahane, KS Bharat†, RA Jadeja, SN Thakur, UT Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
AUSTRALIA PLAYING XI FOR WTC FINAL 2023
DA Warner, UT Khawaja, M Labuschagne, SPD Smith, TM Head, C Green, AT Carey†, MA Starc, PJ Cummins*, NM Lyon, SM Boland