CWC2023: Head propels Australia to their 6th ODI WC title as India bites the dust

 

Travis Head had one of the greatest days of his fast improving career as Australia rattled overwhelming favourites India in the World cup final in front of over 1 lac capacity crowd at the Narendra Modi stadium at Ahmedabad .

Australia won the toss and Pat Cummins surprised everyone by bowling first. Rohit Sharma  looked happy as he wanted to bat first and put  a score on the board  which was also the general consensus. However the match shaped up differently. 

India started off in bright fashion despite losing Gill (4) early caught at midon trying to pull Starc . Rohit looked in imperious touch again and was playing cracking shots all around the ground as usual in the powerplay while Kohli batting at 3 also hit 3 consecutive 4s in an over to start brightly as India scored 70 plus within powerplay. 

Rohit continued his ultra aggressive approach but in trying to hit Maxwell for the 3rd time in the over he miscued and the resultant catch was taken brilliantly by Travis Head in the covers .Rohit smashed 47 off 31 overs to give a great momentum to the innings . 

However  Shreyas Iyer (4) was out caught behind cheaply off Cummins that brought Kohli and Rahul together . 

Both the batters focussed on steadying the innings together and shared a valuable 67 runs stand . However that partnership showed down the progress as not even one of the 2 batters showed any attacking mindset particularly KL Rahul . So much so that they took only 9 runs of 4 overs from Mitchell Marsh & Travis Head . Rahul also refused many singles. 

Kohli (52) got out soon after reaching 50 playing on to Cummins who bowled superbly in the final.  Jadeja came out to probably take on Zampa but he again cut a sorry figure getting only 9 off 22 balls before being caught behind off Hazlewood . KL Rahul reached a painstaking 66 off 107 balls .  While he did create a platform along with Kohli , but with his slow batting he played right into Australia's hands and finally Rahul was caught behind off Starc  . Surya Kumar Yadav who hardly got any game time struggled against slower balls and was caught behind off Hazlewood for 18 off 27 balls . The last wicket stand did  scrambled a few runs but India were finally all out for 240 in 50 overs ....at least 40 short .

For Australia, the quicks bowled smartly on a slowing pitch.  Starc took 3 wickets to prove his big match temperament again while Cummins and Hazlewood took 2 wickets each with Cummins in particular bowling superbly.  Zampa and Maxwell got 1 wicket each.

In reply the Aussies came out with all guns blazing taking 15 runs in Bumrah's first over but Warner soon was caught in the slips off Shami for 7 . Marsh came out with full intent smashing a four & six but got an under edge to be caught behind off Bumrah . Smith (4) was adjudged lbw to Bumrah but impact was outside. However Smith did not review and Australia had lost their 3rd wicket at 47 .

Travis Head who already had hit a few 4s had to drop anchor now along with Marnus Labuschagne who batted solidly as they build up the crucial match winning stand . Head kept taking calculated risks but was solid in his defences against the spinners and pacers alike as he focussed on building a big stand with the usually solid Labuschagne.  Rohit rotated his bowlers in trying to get the breakthrough but the Aussies did not give a single chance . Only once Bunrah came close to get an lbw against Marnus but it was umpires call on review. 

As the Aussies crossed hundred  , Head started taking the odd calculated risks and both were not missing out on rotation of strike . It was skilful and intelligent batting that gradually got India out of the game . Head started to explode after getting his 100 . Finally he was caught at the boundary by Gill off Siraj   after a valiant 137 off 120 balls studded with 15 fours and 4 sixes . Marnus stayed 58 not out - an invaluable knock in the match winning 192 run stand . Finally Maxwell hit the winning 2 runs and Australia won by 6 wickets with 42 balls remaining to lift their 6 ODI World cup .

Travis Head for his 100 & his astonishing catch to dismiss Rohit was the player of the match while  Kohli with 765 runs in 11 matches was the player of the tournament. 

Mitchell Marsh along with his father Geoff Marsh became the only father and son duo to win World cup for any country . Geoff Marsh part of victorious  Border's team in 1987 World cup and Mitchell Marsh now in 2023 triumph. 

At the end it was brilliant and brave captaincy by Pat Cummins , skilful bowling by the bowlers and dazzling knock by Travis Head that won the final for Australia  as they won their 9th consecutive match after 2 early losses . As for India after being the best team in the world cup and overwhelming favourites for the final , they lost in the final hurdle after 10 straight wins .

Some more  important  statistics for the World cup

Player of the Tournament in World Cups 

1992: Martin Crowe 

1996: Sanath Jayasuriya 

1999: Lance Klusener 

2003: Sachin Tendulkar 

2007: Glenn McGrath 

2011: Yuvraj Singh 

2015: Mitchell Starc 

2019: Kane Williamson 

2023: Virat Kohli

Teams whose only defeat in a World Cup edition coming in the final 

India in 2023 (10 wins) 

New Zealand in 2015 (8 wins) 

England in 1979 (4 wins)

Most wickets in a single edition of the World Cup 

27 M Starc (2019) 

26 G McGrath (2007) 

24 Mohd Shami (2023) * 

23 C Vaas (2003) 

23 M Muralitharan (2007) 

23 S Tait (2007) 

23 A Zampa (2023)

World Cup 2023 summary 

Most runs: Virat Kohli (765) 

Highest individual score: Glenn Maxwell (201*) 

Most centuries: Quinton de Kock (4) 

Most sixes: Rohit Sharma (31) 

Most wickets: Mohd Shami (24) 

Best figures: Mohd Shami (7/57) 

Most WK dismissals: Quinton de Kock (20) 

Most outfield catches: Daryl Mitchell (11)

Player of the Match in semifinal and final of a World Cup 

Mohinder Amarnath in 1983 

Aravinda de Silva in 1996 

Shane Warne in 1999 

Travis Head in 2023

To sign off  this 2023 has to be one of the greatest years of Australian cricket.   First they won the World test Championship final beating India at the Oval . Then they retained the Ashes in England in a gripping 2-2 draw  and finally winning the ODI World cup 2023 beating hosts and hot favourites India in the final .