Ahemdabad, November 19: Australia won a record-extending sixth 50-overs World Cup title after opener Travis Head smashed a magnificent century to fashion their six-wicket victory in the final against the tournament’s form team India here on Sunday.
In this thrilling World Cup final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, Australia emerged victorious against India, securing their sixth World Cup title.
Australia Winning the toss and opting to bat first, India faced a formidable Australian bowling attack. Despite facing early setbacks, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul anchored the innings with gritty half-centuries, guiding India to a competitive total of 240 runs. Australia’s bowlers, led by Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, showcased their prowess, putting up a disciplined performance to restrict India.
The Indian innings featured notable contributions from Rahul, Rohit, and Virat Kohli, who scored a crucial fifty.
Chasing the target, Australia encountered a masterclass from Travis Head, who played a sensational knock of 137 runs. Head’s innings, characterized by 15 boundaries and four sixes, proved to be the turning point, earning him the well-deserved Player of the Match award.
Despite India’s spirited efforts, the Australian middle-order, featuring Marnus Labuschagne, played sensible cricket to secure the victory with seven overs to spare.
While Australia celebrated their triumph, the final showcased the resilience of the Indian team, providing cricket fans with a riveting encounter between two cricketing powerhouses.
The clash added another memorable chapter to the historic rivalry between India and Australia, leaving fans eagerly anticipating future battles on the cricket field.
Travis Head (Man of the Match) said, “I was a little bit nervous initially but Marnus played exceptionally well and took up all the pressure. I feel the way Marsh took the game on setting the tone and that was the energy we needed. It was a great option to bowl first and the pitch got better as the game progressed. Again, it is something that I work hard on, and nice to hold on and give it all in front of a full house crowd. ”
Virat Kohli was the man of the tournament for scoring 765 runs in 11 innings.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma said, “I mean the result has not gone our way and we know that we are not 100% today. But proud of this bunch. Honestly, 20-30 runs would have been effective. I thought when Rahul and Virat were batting, we were looking at the score of 270-280 at that point and wickets fell in continuous intervals.”
“Australia had a huge partnership after losing three wickets initially. With 240 on the scorecard, we wanted initial wickets but huge credit to Head and Labuschagne. The wicket got better to bat under the lights. We knew under lights, it’d be better but do not want to give that as an excuse. Credit to Australian batters for that 3rd wicket partnership,” said Sharma.
Australian captain Pat Cummins said, “I think we saved our best for the final. We have been defending the totals in the whole tournament and we thought it was a great night to chase the target. Marnus has a cool head and Head does what he does on the huge stage, Head shows a lot of character in him. I was pretty happy throughout the bowling. If you look around it is a special moment. You have to go out there and win the World Cup, you cannot wait for this to happen.”
