Australia continued its dominance in the World Cups after winning its record sixth title at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19, dealing another blow to the Indian cricket team and its fans whose wait for an ICC event trophy extends one more time. India last won an ICC event ten years ago in 2013, when MS Dhoni’s men lifted the Champions Trophy.
What happened in the India vs Australia final?
Australia, who never looked like title contenders, kept fighting and winning, finding an unusual hero in each match. In the final, it was the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Rohit Sharma took them to the cleaners early on, but later on, Starc used reverse swing to great effect. Cummins, along with spinners Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell, put pressure on KL Rahul and Virat Kohli as India lost three wickets in quick succession.
In the end, India could only reach 240 all out in their 50 overs. Chasing a below-average target on a slow pitch, Australia lost three quick wickets early on. But since they knew the goal, Travis Head changed his game and adapted to the conditions to stay on the field. He then used the dew factor and reached a magnificent hundred. He managed to take his team home along with Marnus Labuschagne who also scored fifty.
The wait for the Indian trophy extends
India has reached the semi-final or final of three ODI World Cups, two Test World Championships and three T20 World Cups in the last ten years. Add to that the defeat in the 2017 Champions Trophy and there have been nine occasions where the team failed to lift the trophy in the end.
Shami and Virat at the top of the charts
Virat Kohli with 762 runs led the list of top run-getters in the 2023 World Cup and won the Golden Bat. India also had the Golden Ball as Mohammed Shami finished as the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets in just seven matches.
Australia takes the lead in qualifiers against India
This was the fifth meeting in the World Cup qualifiers between the two teams. After winning the final of the 2003 ODI World Cup, Australia lost in the semi-final of the 2007 T20 World Cup and then in the quarter-finals of the 2011 ODI World Cup. India led 2-1 before falling in the semi-final of the ODI World Cup 2015. Before this final the record was 2-2, but with the victory in this match, the knockout battle has now tilted in favor of the Australians 3-2.
