ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Australia Beat India To Lift ODI Trophy For Record Sixth Time
Australia broke India’s unbeaten run when it mattered the most yesterday to become the one-day cricket world champions for the record sixth time, riding on a clinical bowling and batting performance.
India’s dream of winning its third world cup crashed in a below-par performance, especially after an inexplicable batting collapse.
Travis Head’s century (137) and partnership with Marnus Labuschagne ensured Australia comfortably surpassed India’s 240 with six wickets in hand to lift the Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
Australia suffered early setbacks as Mohammed Shami got rid of the dangerous David Warner, and Jasprit Bumrah sent big guns Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith back, reducing the team to 47 for 3.
Head and Labuschagne (58) steadied the innings and consolidated the foundation by putting 192 runs together to take their team home. India was the dominant team in the world cup but failed to repeat the magic in the final. Australia, on the other hand, dominated both the innings in a reminder of a 2003 world cup final when they humbled India by 125 runs.
Earlier on Sunday, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli made gritty fifties but Australian bowlers produced a clinical show to bowl out India for a below-par 240.
Sent in to bat on a slow and dry pitch, skipper Rohit Sharma once again provided India a flying start with a 31-ball 47 but Australia fought back, snapping three wickets to reduce the hosts to 81 for 3.
Kohli (54) and Rahul (66) then tried to resurrect the Indian innings, adding 67 runs before Pat Cummins removed the former. It was a struggle thereafter, as India failed to find the boundaries.
