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Head knocks the wind out of India as Australia clinch sixth World Cup
ICC WORLD CUP FINAL
India’s hopes of winning the men’s World Cup were dashed by Australia in the final match, despite their impressive run of 10 consecutive victories. The slow Ahmedabad pitch proved to be a challenge for India, as Australia’s bowlers effectively restricted them to a score of 240. However, it was Travis Head who stole the show with his outstanding performance, scoring a remarkable 137 runs off just 120 balls. This victory secured Australia’s sixth World Cup title. Head’s exceptional contributions in both the semifinal and final matches earned him the prestigious Player of the Match award, placing him alongside legendary players such as Mohinder Amarnath, Aravinda de Silva, and Shane Warne in the history books.
At the start of the chase, Australia faced some setbacks, losing three wickets and relying on a strong run-rate to keep them in the game. Mohammed Shami, who was given the new ball for the first time in the World Cup, took a wicket with his second ball, catching David Warner at slip. Jasprit Bumrah, who had a rough start by conceding 15 runs in his first over, made a comeback by catching Mitchell Marsh behind and outsmarting Steven Smith with a slower ball. Smith decided not to review the decision, which showed signs of nervousness in the chase.
Despite the early setbacks, Head and Labuschagne managed to reverse the pressure with a disciplined partnership of 192 runs. The spinners were unable to make much of an impact on the slow surface, so the duo stuck to their plan of rebuilding with a combination of defense and attack. India’s second line of attack crumbled as Head hit a six off Kuldeep Yadav and Jadeja was consistently milked. As a result, India’s spinners went wicketless in the final, with the slowness of the surface largely negating their threat.
However, the duo executed their game plan flawlessly by scoring boundaries early on in the second innings, ensuring that India never had an opportunity to gain an advantage. They formed a formidable partnership for the fourth wicket, effectively taking control of the game from India. Eventually, Head was dismissed with Australia needing only 2 more runs, which were successfully achieved by Glenn Maxwell, completing the task initiated by their captain’s bowling performance.
Earlier in the day, Australia’s bowlers displayed clinical precision in adapting to the playing conditions, resulting in India being limited to a moderate total of 240 runs after being asked to bat first.
Despite India’s impressive batting record throughout the tournament, Pat Cummins made a bold decision to bowl first on the dry pitch, in front of a crowd of over 100,000 spectators. Initially, it seemed as though his decision might backfire as India, led by Rohit Sharma once again, gained momentum during the powerplay.
Sharma established dominance by consistently hitting boundaries off Hazlewood’s deliveries, while Gill’s attempt resulted in a misjudged shot towards mid-on. However, Kohli mirrored Sharma’s performance by striking three consecutive boundaries off Starc, ensuring India’s run-rate remained high.
Initially, India followed their usual strategy with Rohit swiftly approaching a fifty. Nevertheless, Australia disrupted their momentum by introducing spin, which proved fruitful. Sharma aimed to dispatch Maxwell but ended up mistiming the shot, resulting in a high catch taken by Head at cover-point. The already subdued crowd was further astonished when Iyer edged a cutter from Cummins and was caught behind.
Losing two wickets in quick succession forced India to focus on stabilizing their position, a task accomplished resolutely by Kohli and Rahul. While they remained steadfast, Australia’s bowling performance was equally impressive, leaving no room for easy runs. The duo endured a period of 97 balls without hitting a boundary, even with the likes of Marsh maintaining a tight line.
Cummins led the bowling attack for the pacers with his off-pace cutters, conceding no boundaries and taking two wickets for 34 runs in his 10 overs. Kohli’s hopes of leading India to victory were dashed by Cummins’ clever tactics, as he fell to another banged-in cutter after scoring his 9th fifty of the tournament and 5th consecutive one. Despite Kohli’s impressive run tally of 765 runs in the tournament, India found themselves in trouble once again.
In an attempt to turn things around, India changed up their batting order by promoting Ravindra Jadeja, but Australia’s bowlers remained unfazed and kept the boundaries at bay. Rahul managed to score a fifty, but there was no big finish to follow. Australia’s bowlers also found reverse swing, making it even more challenging for India. Hazlewood and Starc took crucial wickets, including Jadeja and Rahul, leaving Suryakumar Yadav to try and shepherd the tail. However, his efforts were in vain as he gloved a slow bouncer from Hazlewood, effectively ending any chance of a late surge. India were eventually bowled out for 240, a total that proved too little against Head’s calculated assault.
India’s innings came to an end at 240 all out, with KL Rahul and Virat Kohli being the top scorers, but it was not enough to stop Australia from winning the match as they chased down the target of 241/4 in 43 overs with a magnificent century from Travis Head and an unbeaten half-century from Marnus Labuschagne, winning by 6 wickets.
Australia emerges victorious in the Cricket World Cup, securing their sixth title, while India faces defeat.
Australia clinched their sixth Cricket World Cup title in a thrilling final against India, held in Ahmedabad, India. The match witnessed a surprising turn of events as Australia, initially struggling at 47-3, made a remarkable comeback. Travis Head’s outstanding performance, scoring 137 runs, played a pivotal role in Australia’s victory. Head’s partnership with Marnus Labuschagne, who remained unbeaten at 58, proved to be the turning point of the match. The duo’s exceptional 192-run partnership helped Australia successfully chase down the target of 241, leaving the pro-Indian crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium in disbelief. With this win, Australia reaffirmed their dominance in one-day international cricket, adding to their previous World Cup triumphs in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015.
The match concluded with a dismissal on the penultimate ball, as Head was caught in the deep while attempting to score a boundary that would have secured the title. However, Glenn Maxwell entered the field and managed to secure a victory by running two off his first ball. This triumph led to a spectacular display of fireworks above the world’s largest cricket venue. Prior to the final, the Indian team had won all 10 of their matches and were aiming for their third trophy in their fourth appearance in a title match. The match captivated a country of 1.4 billion people, bringing it to a virtual standstill. Unfortunately, the Indian team was outplayed in every aspect by Australia, only managing to score 240 runs on a slow pitch after losing the toss. The only notable performances came from Virat Kohli, who scored 54 runs, and Lokesh Rahul, who scored 66 runs.
Head achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the fifth player to score a century in a men’s World Cup final, joining the ranks of Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist as the only Australians to do so. His contribution to India’s innings was further highlighted when he executed a spectacular diving catch from cover to dismiss captain Rohit Sharma, a pivotal moment in the match. Australia’s journey in the tournament was a testament to their resilience, as they bounced back from consecutive losses to India and South Africa to secure an impressive streak of nine consecutive victories.
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