Australia claim 6th WC title, beat India in 2nd ICC final in 5 months
AHMEDABAD: An Indian team in imperious form throughout the 2023 ODI World Cup, demolishing all opposition with a gladiatorial swagger, finally had a bad day. Unfortunately, it came on the worst possible occasion, the final, against a team that doesn't just thrive on the big stage, it virtually owns it.
India was the team of the tournament, with the leading run-scorer and player of the series, Virat Kohli (765 runs) and leading wicket-taker Mohd Shami (24). But it was Australia that won the World Cup - their 6th in all, of the 13 so far.
On Saturday, Aussie skipper Pat Cummins had said, "There's nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent". After winning on Sunday, he exulted, "We saved our best for the last."
The man who made the difference for Australia was back home in Adelaide, his hand in a cast, when the tournament began. Travis Head missed the first five games of Australia's campaign, but the selectors refused to replace him, even though it left the squad one man short.
Head repaid their faith many times over, putting the Indian attack to the sword in Sunday's final, just as he had in the World Test Championship final against India at the Oval five months ago.
Chasing 241, Australia looked in peril as Jasprit Bumrah trapped Steve Smith LBW. At 47/3, with Bumrah and Shami breathing fire, Motera was throbbing. The fans expected magic again from the Indian bowlers, who had delivered throughout the World Cup.
It wasn't to be.
