Rohit Sharma-inspired India aim to break a decade-long global title drought in the World Cup final against five-time champions Australia on Sunday, set to captivate a crowd of 130,000 fans.
With an impressive 10 consecutive victories in the tournament, India seek their third World Cup triumph after previous successes in 1983 and 2011.
Despite India's cricket prowess, they have been without an international title since the 2013 Champions Trophy, creating heightened expectations among their 1.4 billion cricket enthusiasts.
Facing them are an Australian side riding an eight-match winning streak, poised to compete in their eighth World Cup final.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, anticipated an "unbelievable game" against the five-time champions, acknowledging Australia's resilience in challenging situations and their expertise in playing and winning finals.
Australia, in addition to their five World Cup victories, secured their maiden T20 crown in 2021 and triumphed over India in the World Test Championship final earlier in the year.
India had previously handed Australia a decisive defeat in the group stage, but Australia avenged their loss with a tense three-wicket win over South Africa in the semi-final.
India's journey to the final included a commanding victory over New Zealand, where Virat Kohli's red-hot form resulted in a record-breaking 50th ODI century. Kohli leads the tournament batting with 711 runs, while Rohit Sharma's leadership has earned widespread praise. India's bowling is spearheaded by Mohammed Shami, the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 23 scalps.
Australia, despite setbacks in their initial matches, rebounded with seven consecutive wins, including a remarkable performance by Glenn Maxwell. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa leads the Australian bowling attack with 22 wickets, supported by pacemen Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
The final marks the eighth ODI encounter between India and Australia in 2023, with both teams familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Hazlewood, reflecting on their earlier clash, hopes to replicate their success in dismissing India cheaply and remains eager for the highly anticipated showdown.
With tickets sold out and a packed stadium expected, the final promises to be a loud and spectacular cricket spectacle, as Starc anticipates an electrifying atmosphere on Sunday.
