AHMEDABAD: Australia secured their sixth consecutive ICC World Cup title by defeating India in a fascinating final match of the cricket World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Travis Head’s stellar century propelled the Aussies to a historic victory, marking an end to India’s dominant run in their home tournament.
Facing a target of 241, Australia overcame a shaky start, with David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, and Steven Smith departing early, leaving the team reeling at 47-3 within the first seven overs. However, a remarkable 192-run partnership between Travis Head (137) and Marnus Labuschagne (58 not out) turned the tide in Australia’s favor.
The 132,000-capacity stadium, filled with a heavily pro-Indian crowd, witnessed a stunning comeback as Head and Labuschagne steadied the Australian innings. The duo’s resilience play silenced the spectators, eventually leading Australia to a six-wicket triumph against India in front of their home crowd.
Head’s exceptional century, making him only the fifth player to achieve this feat in a men’s World Cup final, was a turning point in the match. His diving catch to dismiss Indian captain Rohit Sharma (47) showcased not only his batting prowess but also his prowess in the field.
India Batting Against Australia
Earlier in the day, India, batting first, posted a total of 240 runs, with Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66) contributing crucial half-centuries. However, the Australian bowling attack, particularly in the post-powerplay phase, proved decisive in restricting India’s total.
Australia’s victory caps off a phenomenal year for Pat Cummins’ side, adding to their triumph over India in the World Test Championship final and the subsequent retention of the Ashes. The Aussies, who started the tournament with consecutive defeats to India and South Africa, finished with an impressive run of nine straight wins.
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The Indian side, who won all ten of their matches leading up to the final, fell short in every department against a resurgent Australian team. The defeat comes as a disappointment to the 1.4 billion cricket cloving nation.
The fireworks above the Narendra Modi Stadium echoed the celebration of Australia’s dominance in one-day international cricket, securing their sixth ICC Cricket World Cup crown.
