Travis Head’s scintillating 120-ball 137, Mitchell Starc (3-55), and Pat Cummins (2-34) powered Australia to the sixth World Cup title in the final of the mega event at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Chasing a target of 241, Australia dashed the Indian hopes by winning by six wickets with 42 balls spared. For his brilliant display with the bat, following the three quick departures, Travis Head was named player of the match for his promising century.
Virat Kohli bagged player of the series award for racking up 765 runs, with three centuries in the World Cup.
AUSTRALIA'S INNINGS
1st Over
Jasprit Bumrah started off the proceedings with a bowl for India and went on to leak 15 runs as David Warner creamed a boundary. Travis Head also treated Bumrah with utter contempt and breached two boundaries.
2nd Over
Mohammad Shami had some other plans to remove one of the Australian openers. He snaked an edge past David Warner’s willow, and Kohli made no mistake to pouch the catch.
3rd Over
Bumrah continued to bowl and deliver a tidy over, leaking only a run.
4th Over
Shami came to bowl in the fourth over and bowled a wide delivery, which leaked three runs. Mitchell Marsh clobbered a six-over mid-off. The overturn turned out to be quite productive for Pat Cummins-led Australia.
5th Over
Bumrah continued to bowl and showed great awareness to flummox Mitchell Marsh, who was looking dangerous. Bumrah fired it outside off, Marsh nicked it, and KL Rahul made no mistake and pouched the catch cleanly. Marsh made his way back to the pavilion, scoring run-a-ball 15, lacing with one four and a towering six.
6th Over
Bumrah had managed to bowl a maiden at the crucial stage.
Shami ensured to not allow the newcomers, Steve Smith and Travis Head any room and leaked just a single run.
7th Over
Bumrah continued to rock the Australian top-order and went on to trap Steve Smith, who made his way back to the pavilion, scoring merely four. Bumrah gave up merely five runs in the fruitful over.
8th Over
Shami had utilised the momentum that was built by his bowling partner and bowled a maiden.
9th Over
Bumrah continued to bowl and was once again spot on, but his over went for fours as Australia got four-leg bye.
10th Over
In Shami’s next over, Travis Head came up with the idea to reduce the pressure mounted by Bumrah and Shami. He hammered two boundaries off Shami. Shami conceded nine runs.
11th Over
Rohit Sharma had introduced the spinners in a bid to further test the Australian batters. Ravindra Jadeja came to bowl and leaked five runs.
12th Over
Kuldeep Yadav came to bowl for the first and bowled brilliant over, just conceding three runs.
13th Over
Jadeja continued to bowl and Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head remained silent with the bat, scoring a run each.
14th Over
Kuldeep bowled a superb over, giving no room to the Australian batters. Kuldeep merely leaked four overs.
15th Over
Jadeja continued to bowl with accuracy and conceded four runs.
16th Over
Kuldeep leaked two runs in his first two deliveries before he was hammered for six by Travis Head. Australia plundered nine runs off Kuldeep.
17th Over
Mohammed Siraj was introduced by Captain Sharma, who was hammered by Travis Head for a boundary. He managed to finish the over by conceding six runs.
18th Over
Kuldeep continued to bowl and conceded two runs, as Head and Labuschagne are looking to take their time.
19th Over
Siraj leaked four runs, and in the meantime, Labuschagne and Head had racked up a circumspect 50-run partnership.
20th Over
Head and Labuschagne continued to deal in singles. Both of them plundered five runs off Kuldeep.
21th Over
Both Head and Labuschagne played Siraj sensibly and plunder six runs off Siraj. Head pulled to earn a boundary.
22th Over
Kuldeep continued to bowl and leaked seven runs. In this over, Travis Head had notched up another fifty. Kuldeep conceded seven runs.
23rd Over
Head and Labuschagne played cleverly and plunder five runs off Jadeja.
24th Over
Captain Sharma brought back Shami in a bid to break the formidable partnership between Head and Labuschagne. But the Australian batters played Shami smartly and made five runs.
25th Over
Head mounted early pressure on Jadeja by clobbering a boundary. Head and Labuschagne scored two singles each, with the exception of one dot-bop ball. Jadeja leaked eight runs.
26th Over
Head and Labuschagne crunched two boundaries each off Shami as the latter gave up nine runs.
27th Over
Jadeja bowled decently and conceded four runs.
28th Over
The desperation compelled captain Rohit Sharma to call frontline bowler Jasprit Bumrah to do the favours for his team. But Head treated him with utter contempt, crossing two boundaries. It was in the fifth delivery when Bumrah and India took review, when Bumrah smacked the ball on to Labuschagne’s pad.
The review went on to be in vain. The over was further spoiled by Labuschagne, who pulled it out to a deep square to earn a boundary. Bumrah plundered 14 runs.
29th Over
Ravindra Jadeja bowled a tidy over and merely gave away three runs.
30th Over
Bumrah came back strongly and went on to lose merely two runs.
31st Over
Jadeja continued to bowl economically and conceded three runs.
32nd Over
Kuldeep replaced Bumrah and bowled superbly. But could not provide skipper Sharma with the breakthrough.
33rd Over
Jadeja continued to bowl and went on to leak two runs.
34rd Over
Travis Head was in a hurry to bring home a hundred and triumph for his team. In this regard, he slammed Kuldeep Yadav for breaking back-to-back boundaries off his first two deliveries. Then he bagged two runs, followed by a run that brought a promising century and penned another chapter in the World Cup’s history.
35th Over
After racking up a brilliant ton, Head decided to go for the kill against Ravindra Jadeja. Head went on to smash the ball out of the park with brilliance. But Jadeja bounced back and gave away only one run off the next five deliveries. Jadeja conceded seven runs.
36th Over
Kuldeep continued to bowl economically and merely conceded three runs.
37th Over
Siraj went for nine runs. He was hammered for six by Travis Head over midwicket.
38th Over
Kuldeep was bowling his last over when Head spoiled his bowling economy. Head smashed a six over midwicket. Kuldeep conceded 10 runs in his last over. He conceded 10 runs.
39th Over
Siraj continued to bowl, but Australia plundered five runs in that over.
40th Over
Bumrah conceded two runs in the first five deliveries before Labuschagne spoiled the over by whacking a boundary. Bumrah gave away six runs.
41st Over
Labuschagne creamed a boundary, and Siraj conceded five runs.
42nd Over
The Australian players and skipper Cummins had started to celebrate when they needed 11 runs off 54 deliveries. Bumrah bowled a decent over and conceded only one run.
43rd Over
Siraj came to bowl for the last time, and there was a bit of drama when Head was removed by Siraj when Australia needed two runs. But maybe it was Glenn Maxwell’s fate to finish it off for Australia by plundering two runs. Australia completed the chase with 42 balls remaining.
INDIA'S INNINGS
1st Over
Australia frontline pacer Mitchell Starc started the proceedings with the bowl for Australia. The first bowl he fired was smacked on India skipper Rohit Sharma's pad, but the umpire was not impressed. The first over went for merely three runs.
2nd Over
Rohit Sharma treat Josh Hazlewood with utter contempt and went on to cream two boundaries off the latter. India had plundered 10 runs off Hazlewood’s over.
3rd Over
Mitchell Starc continued to bowl and leak five runs in the third over.
4th Over
Rohit Sharma once again showed no mercy on Josh Hazlewood, clobbering one six and a boundary, ending the over, and racking up 12 runs.
5th Over
The fifth over turned out to be a misery for India batter Shubman Gill, who was perplexed by seasoned campaigner Mitchell Starc. Gill could only score a 7-ball 4. Virat Kohli joined Rohit Sharma. Sharma did not lose momentum after losing his partner and smashed a six to spoil Starc's over. He conceded seven runs.
6th Over
The third over Hazlewood delivered was quite better than the previous two he bowled. He merely leaked three runs.
7th Over
King Virat Kohli had told himself to treat Mitchell Starc with utter contempt. As he whacked three consecutive boundaries off Starc, He hammered him through mid-on, followed by a delicate shot through the off side. Then again, he crossed a boundary on the other side. The over went on to be costly as Starc gave away 14 runs.
8th Over
Glenn Maxwell was introduced by Pat Cummins to put Sharma and Kohli to the test. The three balls resulted in singles each. But Kohli launched a cracking cover drive. The over went for seven runs.
9th Over
Pat Cummins introduced himself and tried to be accurate, conceding five runs.
10th Over
Rohit Sharma had decided to mount pressure on the Australian spin department. First, he whacked a big six over midwicket and then clobbered a boundary through the off side. But Sharma skied high on the next delivery off Maxwell and found Travis Head, who pouched the catch comfortably. Sharma made his way back to the pavilion, scoring a 31-ball 47, studded with four boundaries and three sixes.
Shreyas Iyer joined Virat Kohli. He plundered a boundary off Maxwell’s last delivery. Maxwell’s over went on to be costly as he gave up 14 runs. But he bagged a crucial wicket for the India captain.
11th Over
Captain Pat Cummins continued to bowl with great verve and zeal and snaked an edge past Iyer’s jittery bat, which was pouched by Inglis. Iyer (4) made his way back to the pavilion by whacking merely a boundary off Maxwell. Cummins merely conceded two runs.
12th Over
Following the successful spell of Maxwell with the bowl, skipper Cummins brought frontline spinner Adam Zampa, who bowled wicket to wicket, giving away five wickets.
13th Over
Cummins gave no room to KL Rahul in the first four deliveries. In the fifth delivery, Rahul whipped his hands through a run. Kohli had also rotated a strike. Cummins bowled brilliantly, leaking only two runs.
14th Over
Zampa continued to proceed with the bowl, and Kohli and KL dealt in singles.
15th Over
Cummins bowled another clinical over, mounting pressure on the Indian batters. He merely conceded three runs.
16th Over
Zampa ensured to intact the discipline with the bowl. He only leaked four runs. India managed to rack up 100 in Zampa’s over.
17th Over
Cummins came to bowl his fifth over, put the Indian batters to the test, and was ably supported by the fielder. He leaked merely three runs.
18th Over
Maxwell came to bowl in his second spell and once again showed accuracy, leaking just three runs.
19th Over
Hazlewood was brought back to the attack, considering his track record against Virat Kohli. But both Kohli and Rahul plundered singles on every delivery.
20th Over
Pat Cummins introduced Mitchell Starc for the first time. He ensured to maintain pressure on the Indian batters and merely conceded two runs.
21st Over
Hazelwood conceded four runs in his fourth over. India had not scored a boundary since the 11 overs.
22nd Over
In a bid to get a breakthrough, Travis Head, who had a great outing both with the bowl and bat against South Africa in the semi-final, was introduced into the attack by Cummins. Head was clinical with the bowl and only leaked two runs.
23rd Over
Skipper Cummins continued to rotate his bowlers as Starc came back to the attack for the quest of scooping up a wicket. He bowled superbly and merely conceded four runs.
24th Over
Marsh replaced Head and went on to leak just three runs.
25th Over
Maxwell came back to the attack and bowled with accuracy, conceding three runs.
26th Over
Virat Kohli created an opportunity for the crowd to rejoice for a matter of time by notching up another promising fifty in Zampa’s over. However, Zampa merely conceded four runs.
27th Over
KL Rahul finally broke the shackles in terms of creaming a boundary off Maxwell. After 97 deliveries, India finally managed to score a boundary. Maxwell conceded seven runs.
28th Over
Zampa continued to bowl and flight the bowl brilliantly. Though the Indian batters continued to nurdle runs. This overproduced five runs for the hosts.
29th Over
Throughout the way, Pat Cummins utilised and rotated his bowlers, which is just impressive. Kohli and Rahul were building partnerships sluggishly. But Cummins remained alert. He consistently rotated his bowlers. Now he brought himself to perplex the tournament’s leading run-scorer, Virat Kohli.
In his 63-ball 54, Kohli clobbered six boundaries. Cummins merely conceded three runs in a successful over.
30th Over
Ravindra Jadeja joined KL Rahul as Zampa continued to bowl. He continued to bowl with variations and gave up just three runs.
31st Over
Cummins continued to bowl in the 31st over. KL Rahul played through the deep midwicket and plundered two runs off Cummins in his first delivery. The Indian batters dealt in singles in the next deliveries, with the exception of one dot ball. Cummins conceded six runs.
32nd Over
Zampa continued the good work with smart execution with the bowl and leaked merely four runs.
33rd Over
Starc came back to the bowl to test Rahul and Jadeja. He ensured to fire in the right direction, conceding merely three runs.
34th Over
Cummins continued to smartly rotate his bowlers. Head was once again given the bowl. He gave up four runs, of which two were leg-by-leg.
35th Over
KL Rahul played a circumspect knock to complete his fifty in Starc’s over. Starc conceded four runs.
36th Over
Bringing back Hazlewood works for Pat Cummins-inspired Australia Hazlewood befuddled Jadeja, who edged, and Inglis made no mistake to grab the catch. Hazlewood conceded five runs.
37th Over
Cummins brought Maxwell back to the attack to mount more pressure on the hosts. Maxwell was outstanding and went on to leak merely a run.
38th Over
Hazlewood continued to bowl and conceded just three runs. Pressure was mounting on the Indian batters, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav.
39th Over
Zampa’s eighth over turned out to be slightly better for India, as he conceded 10 runs. In the last delivery, Suryakumar finally whacked a boundary.
40th Over
Hazlewood continued to bowl in a bid to pick up a scalp. But the Indian batters showed resistance to plunder five in his over.
41st Over
Zampa continued to proceed with the bowl and ensured to give no room to the Indian batters. He merely conceded three runs.
42nd Over
Cummins had once again brought Starc to the attack, and the latter did not disappoint his skipper. He took a crucial scalp from KL Rahul, who consumed 107 deliveries to compile 66.
43rd Over
Pat Cummins came back to the bowl and conceded four runs in the death overs.
44th Over
Mitchell Starc continued to showcase his bowling prowess and flummoxed Mohammed Shami, who could only score a 10-ball 6. He merely gave away two runs.
45th Over
Zampa, who bowled with great resilience, finally got rid of Japrit Bumrah (1), who merely scored 3-ball 1. In his successful over, Zampa conceded merely two runs.
46th Over
Mitchell Starc finished his spell by showing great brilliance. Starc conceded six runs in his last over.
47th Over
Cummins bowled a great over, testing Surya Kumar and Kuldeep Yadav. He only gave up two runs.
48th Over
Hazlewood bowled brilliantly and perplexed Suryakumar Yadav, who skied high and found Josh Inglis, who had a busy outing with the gloves. Suryakumar merely smacked a boundary in his 28-ball 18.
49th Over
Cummins wrapped up his exceptional and economical spell, showing great resilience. He conceded five runs in the over. In his 10 overs, he only leaked 34 runs.
50th Over
Hazlewood bowled the last over of India’s innings and merely conceded runs. Siraj hammered him for a boundary but did not capitalise further. On the last ball, Siraj and Kuldeep wanted a second run, but Labuschagne was active enough to run Kuldeep Yadav (10). This means Australia needed 241 runs to bag the sixth World Cup title.
TOSS
Earlier, Pat Cummins-led Australia have won the toss and opted to field first against India in the final of the 13th edition of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the grand 132,000-seat arena in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
It will be a moment to be captured for not only Indian and Australian fans but for the entire cricket community, which had been waiting for nearly two months to find the new ruler of the cricket world.
India, who remained flawless and went on to win all their round matches and semi-finals, will take on Australia with great rhythm. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, of late, showed their brilliance and resilience in this tournament. Plus, the bowlers also showed great spirit.
Australia, on the other hand, cannot be neglected; the way they bounced back following the defeats in their first two outings is just amazing. Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, and captain Pat Cummins, among others, are having high spirits, as their team is not new to lifting the trophy and is looking to bag the sixth World Cup title.
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