India claimed an impressive 36-run win over Australia at The Oval in a titanic World Cup clash at The Oval on Monday (NZT).
Asked to complete a record chase, after a century from Shikhar Dhawan exposed their lack of bowling depth in India's 352/5, Australia were all out for 316 in reply.
The loss was just Australia's third World Cup loss in 20 years.
Aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the tournament, Australia let the asking rate get above 11 with 15 overs to go, before upping the ante.
But when Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis soon fell within seven balls, any hopes of an Australian victory went with them.
Wickets had repeatedly fallen at the wrong time for the Aussies.
Captain Aaron Finch was run out for 36 off 35 balls, swinging his bat in anger, as he left the field, after his final 22 runs had come off just 12 deliveries.
Warner took up 84 balls for his 56, but was caught on the cow-corner boundary, taking on spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2/62), just as he and Smith looked to be getting into a groove.
Usman Khawaja was next to go, ramping Jasprit Bumrah (3/61) onto his own stumps for 42 off 39 balls, after he'd just helped take 14 off a Kuldeep Yadav over.
Then, after Smith and Maxwell added 36 off 18 balls, came the mini-collapse.
Smith was lbw to Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/50) for 69 off 70, as he moved across his stumps. Marcus Stoinis was bowled two balls later by the quick and Maxwell then fell in the deep for 28 off 14 sweeping Chalal.
Only Alex Carey provided late highlights, with a quickfire 55 off 35, but by then, any real Australian hopes were gone, as they were all out on the last ball of the 50th over.
Their bigger concern though was with the ball.
After Pat Cummins (1/55) and Mitchell Starc (1/74) failed to take early wickets, Nathan Coulter-Nile's first over went for 14, before he recovered to finish with 1/63.
Marcus Stoinis was more expensive with 2/62 off seven overs, taking the wickets of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni in the last over.
Adam Zampa also had 0/50 off six and Glenn Maxwell was 0/45 off seven.
Dhawan, though, was a level above with his 117 from 109 balls, building a foundation early, before clicking into gear.
He started slowly, as he built the foundation for India's innings, then smashed 15 boundaries, following an opening stand with Rohit Sharma (57).
Kohli took the game even further away from the Aussies, whacking four boundaries and two sixes in his 82 off 77 balls.
Australia were also left to rue their errors in the field, most notably, when Carey dropped Hardik Pandya on zero, before he blitzed 48 off just 27 balls.
Virat Kohli's side face the unbeaten Blackcaps in their next match on Thursday.
AAP
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