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Australia once again demonstrated their ability to excel on the grandest stage, toppling India to secure the 50-overs World Cup title and solidify their standing as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
Travis Head, the Australian opener, played a pivotal role in this triumph, scoring a magnificent century with 137 runs off 120 balls, leading his team to a six-wicket victory against the tournament’s in-form team. India had posted a below-par total of 240 all out, and Australia chased it down with seven overs to spare, overcoming a slight top-order wobble.
Despite entering the match as clear underdogs against the formidable Indian side, which had won 10 consecutive matches to reach the final, Australia’s fearless cricket prevailed. Adding to the challenge, Rohit Sharma’s team had the unwavering support of predominantly Indian fans at the world’s largest cricket stadium.
The stars seemed aligned for India to clinch the tournament victory and end a global title drought dating back to the 2012 Champions Trophy. However, the Australia team, led by Pat Cummins and starting the campaign with two consecutive defeats, lacked the aura of the Ricky Ponting-led side that had dominated India in the 2003 final. Yet, their resilience and performance on the day resulted in a triumphant victory on the grand occasion.
Pat Cummins raised eyebrows in his pre-match press conference by expressing his desire to silence the sea of Indian fans at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium.
On Sunday, his teammates took on the challenge, and a deathly silence prevailed at the 132,000-capacity ground for a significant part of the match, ultimately ending with Australia comfortably prevailing.
Cummins led by example, making the bold decision to field after winning the toss, a move that involved the tricky task of chasing under lights.
India’s batting strategy throughout the tournament saw skipper Rohit Sharma setting the tone with unbridled aggression at the top, and Virat Kohli playing the anchor role with other batsmen rallying around them. In the final, they stuck to this formula, but Australia’s impeccable bowling, coupled with sharp fielding, frustrated India at crucial moments.
Travis Head’s stunning catch dismissed Rohit for 47, while Virat Kohli, the player of the tournament, chopped a delivery onto his stumps, departing after a fluent 54. These pivotal moments, orchestrated by Australia’s effective bowling and fielding, played a significant role in their comfortable victory.
Travis Head’s impactful performance continued as he took a stunning catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma for 47, while Virat Kohli, the player of the tournament, chopped a delivery onto his stumps, departing after a fluent 54. Despite KL Rahul’s contribution of 66, the Australian bowlers remarkably limited India to 240 all out in precisely 50 overs.
Facing a slight stumble at 47-3 in what should have been a straightforward chase, Australia’s fortunes turned around when Head partnered with Marnus Labuschagne in an extraordinary 192-run stand, effectively sealing the fate of the contest.
Australia’s triumph not only broke the trend of host countries winning the title since the 2011 edition but also added to their recent successes in the World Test Championship and retaining the Ashes against England. This victory solidifies Australia’s dominance across formats in international cricket.
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