NEW DELHI: Marnus Labuschagne, the Australian batsman, announced his decision to retire the cricket bat he used during the ICC Cricket World Cup final against India in Ahmedabad last November. The match, played between the two rival nations, saw Labuschagne score a crucial half-century that helped secure Australia's victory.
The bat, which had been a trusty companion to Labuschagne throughout the tournament, showed significant signs of wear and tear.
The Australian batting mainstay took to social media to share an image of the now-retired piece of equipment, revealing its battered condition after enduring the rigors of international cricket.
"Think it's finally time to retire the World Cup final bat," Labuschagne wrote on Instagram.
In the title clash, India was restricted to a mere 240 runs by Australia, despite a promising start by captain Rohit Sharma (47) and half-centuries from KL Rahul (66) and Virat Kohli (54).
The Australian bowling attack, led by Mitchell Starc (3/55) and skipper Pat Cummins (2/34), inflicted significant damage on the Indian batting lineup.
Australia faced a challenging start, with the scoreline reading 47/3 at one point. However, Travis Head (137*) and Marnus (58*) guided the Aussies to their sixth 50-over title, securing victory with six wickets to spare.
Labuschagne's innings spanned 110 deliveries, including four boundaries. He provided crucial stability to Travis' aggressive batting approach, anchoring one end steadily.
Throughout the tournament, Labuschagne played 11 matches and batted in 10 innings, accumulating 362 runs at an average of 40.22. He scored three half-centuries, with his highest score being 71.
