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Australia has prided itself on being one of the countries that leads the world in team sport.

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But after having its backside kicked in the World Cup of rugby, the yellow-clad Green Baggies hoping not to follow in its footsteps.

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In the rugby competition in France that takes place over seven weeks, the Wallabies lasted a mere couple of weeks and a day and will make their quickest exit ever, failing to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 10 occasions.

The unexpected turn of events has forced their diehard fans to reach for the bottle to drown their sorrows.

The other half of Australia that prides itself as the world’s best cricket squad is hoping they won’t be dispatched from India posthaste.

With the World Cup of cricket set to see ball connect with the bat on Oct. 5, the Aussie fans have been taken aback by the below-par performances by the Baggy Greens, the latest blow coming in calamitous fashion to India on Sunday.

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The perennial favourites to win the World Cup crashed to its fifth successive ODI defeat, leaving both the squad and fans in a quandary on why things are going downhill faster than Mikaela Shiffrin, the American ski sensation.

That last thrashing at the hands of India by a whopping 99 runs in Indore has raised concerns in the Aussie camp since India piled on a record-breaking 399 for five wickets, while only a half-century from opener David Warner and some late power-hitting by Sean Abbott (54 from 36 balls) helped the Aussies make 217 after being set 317 from 33 overs in a match interrupted by rain.

The final ODI will be played on Wednesday and it gives the Aussies a chance to reverse the trend and enter the World Cup on a high.

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While Australia is in the dumps, India is flying high and recorded its highest ODI total versus the Aussies, surpassing the 383 for five in Bangalore in 2013. India’s highest ODI score came in 2011 against the West Indies when it posted 418 for five.

For India, Shubman Gill (104 off 97 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (105 off 90 balls) combined to hoist a 200-run partnership. Later, it was the turn of Kishan Ishan (31), KL Rahul (52) and the ever-exciting Suryakumar Yadav, who sent the Indore crowd in a frenzy as he slammed four consecutive sixes off Cameron Green in his unbeaten 72 off 37 balls which included six fours and six sixes.

In final warmups on Tuesday, England had its encounter against Ireland in Bristol rained off after Ben Duckett struck an unbeaten 107 in England’s total of 280 for four off 31 overs. Earlier, Zak Crawley and opener Phil Salt hit fifties.

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New Zealand, meanwhile, thrashed Bangladesh by seven wickets to wrap up its preparations in Mirpur. Bangladesh made 171 thanks to a superb knock of 76 by Najmul Hossain Shanto. The rest of the home team was unable to play fast bowler Adam Milne, who took four wickets for 34.

For the Kiwis, Will Young starred with the bat making 70 and Henry Nicholls weighed in with 50 not out.

PAKISTAN MADE TO SWEAT

There is no love lost between India and Pakistan and the world is well aware of it. The neighbours have harboured a long hatred for each other and that has resulted in them going to war on three occasions.

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But India’s decision not to approve visas for the Pakistanis less than 48 hours before the team was to fly out was hitting below the belt as India issued visas to the other competing nations in good time.

The approval came on Monday, hours after the Pakistan board had written to the ICC expressing its displeasure at the delay that caused the team to cancel plans for a pre-World Cup team bonding trip to the U.A.E.

Pakistan will now fly out of Dubai on Wednesday and play its first warmup on Friday against New Zealand in Hyderabad.

“It’s a matter of disappointment that the Pakistan team has to go through this uncertainty ahead of the major tournament,” a Pakistani official said. “We have been reminding (them) about their obligations for the last three years and it has all come down to the last two days with our first warm game scheduled on Friday.”

INJURIES MOUNT

Sri Lanka’s Cup hopes took a massive hit with the news that superstars Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera have been ruled out with injuries. They will be replaced by quick bowlers Pramod Madushan and Binura Fernando … Pakistan and South Africa have also lost their best quickies through injury. Pakistan will miss rising star Naseem Shah while South Africa will be minus Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala.

Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis.

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