'Dew made life easier' - Inglis after Australia's record triumph
What's the story
Australia's star cricketer Josh Inglis has admitted that dew played a huge part in his team's recent win over England.
The match was a part of the ongoing Champions Trophy and was played at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.
Despite a mammoth 352-run target set by England, Australia outscored them and clinched a win.
The win was majorly fueled by Inglis' brilliant maiden ODI ton (120*).
This victory was a brilliant start for the 2023 World Cup champions in this tournament.
Record-breaking performances
England set new record, Australia respond with highest chase
England's Ben Duckett set the record for the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history with his brilliant 165.
This helped England post a daunting 351/8, the highest in the tournament at that stage.
However, Australia pulled off the chase.
Their win wasn't reliant on stars like Travis Head and Steve Smith but a collective effort spearheaded by Inglis and supported by Matthew Short, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, and Glenn Maxwell.
Dew factor
Inglis highlights dew's impact on Australia's run chase
In a post-match press conference, Inglis emphasized the effect of dew on their successful run chase.
He said, "I think 350 is a big total in any one-day game. But we sort of knew, we trained here at night for the last couple of days and it got really dewy around 7.30 - 8 o'clock."
"It made life easier for us, the wicket skidded on beautifully and it really helped our run chase," he added.
Game-changing partnership
Inglis and Carey's partnership turns game in Australia's favor
Australia had a difficult start at 21/2 before Short and Labuschagne stabilized the innings with a vital 95-run stand.
England got both set batters out, leaving Australia at 136/4.
However, Inglis and Carey revived the chase with a match-winning 146-run stand off just 116 balls.
Their efforts made Australia's path to victory much easier, leaving them with just 70 off 50.
Record match
Inglis matches Sehwag's record, Maxwell seals victory for Australia
Inglis equaled Virender Sehwag's record for the joint-fastest hundred in the Champions Trophy, scoring 100 runs off just 77 balls.
Maxwell then sealed Australia's victory with an explosive 32 runs off just 15 balls, finishing the game in 47.3 overs.
Reflecting on his performance, Inglis said it was "really special" and perhaps his best innings under such circumstances in an ICC event.
Personal history
Inglis's personal history adds intrigue to Australia's victory
Adding an interesting twist to the story is Inglis's personal history with England.
Born in Leeds, he moved to Australia as a teenager and was a supporter of England's cricket team until 2022.
However, he clarified that those days are "long gone now" and his focus is solely on helping Australia succeed in the tournament.
He emphasized the importance of starting strong in this Champions Trophy, drawing lessons from their World Cup experience last year.
Stats
Inglis's ODI stats at a glance
With his historic ton, Inglis has raced to 663 ODI runs at an average of 28.82 in 26 innings.
The one against England was his maiden ODI ton.
According to ESPNcrcinfo, he also owns three fifties.
He also boasts a strike rate of 106.08 across 28 ODIs. He has also raced to 1,689 runs at 33.11 in 56 List A innings. .