AHMEDABAD (The Thursday Times) — Australia have been crowned as world champions in front of over 120,000 people at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Final after defeating India by 6 wickets in a stunning victory at Narendra Modi Stadium in the Gujarati city of Ahmedabad. This is Australia’s sixth Cricket World Cup title.
Australia has secured a sixth trophy to add to their belt of Cricket World Cup titles, adding to their history of triumphant campaigns in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015. Their previous victory was memorably achieved eight years ago at Melbourne against New Zealand. Seven players of Australia’s current squad were part of their last winning team.
In the highly anticipated 2023 Cricket World Cup final held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India set a challenging target of 240 runs for Australia in their allotted 50 overs. The innings was marked by standout performances from key Indian batsmen, with K. L. Rahul leading the way with a patient 66 runs off 107 balls, followed by Virat Kohli who added a valuable 54 runs from 63 balls. Rohit Sharma’s brisk 47 off 31 balls provided early momentum to the Indian innings.
Australia’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Mitchell Starc’s incisive 3 wicket-haul for 55 runs, successfully reined in India’s scoring. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood complemented Starc’s efforts by taking two wickets each, maintaining consistent pressure throughout the innings. The Indian middle order, however, found it challenging to establish significant partnerships, struggling against the disciplined Australian bowling.
The strategic run-out of Kuldeep Yadav on the final ball of the innings underscored Australia’s fielding prowess and tactical acumen. With Australia set to chase the target in the second innings, the match promised an engaging contest. The pitch conditions, noted for being slow, were expected to offer support to the bowlers, suggesting that defending the total might prove to be a formidable task for the Indian team in the absence of dew, which typically aids the batting side in evening matches.
In the second innings of the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final, Australia demonstrated a dominant performance, effectively sealing their victory. They showcased a commanding performance, particularly from Travis Head, who played a pivotal role in steering his team towards victory. Head smashed a century in 95 balls, including 14 fours and a six, and shared a significant 138-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne, who scored an unbeaten 41 off 82 balls. This partnership elevated Australia’s score to 185 for three after 34 overs.
The innings had a shaky start, with Australia losing early wickets. Mohammed Shami dismissed opener David Warner early on, leaving Australia at 16 for one. Mitchell Marsh’s brief stay at the crease ended with him being caught behind off Jasprit Bumrah, bringing Australia to 41 for two. The situation became more tense when Steve Smith was trapped LBW by Bumrah, leaving Australia at 47 for three.
However, in the overall context of the match, Australia’s performance in the second innings was overpowering. This comprehensive victory highlighted Australia’s all-around strength in both batting and bowling, underlining their dominance in the final and the tournament as a whole.
