Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and new T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi congratulated Australia for the 2023 World Cup by beating a strong Indian team in the final on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in India in front of 95,000 people. It was Australia’s sixth World Cup title. Australia has won four of the six World Cups held this century so far; a dominance that no team has even managed to match. Of all the finals they played in, this was perhaps the only one where they came off as the second best team. India were so dominant throughout the tournament that the odds were in their favor of winning a second world title on home soil. But that wasn’t down to an Australian team that was far superior on the biggest stage.
The team led by Pat Cummins therefore deserves all the accolades that have already been received and will arrive throughout the coming weeks. “Congratulations Australia. What an impressive performance in the final,” Babar wrote on his Instagram story.
An impressive performance from Australia. Cummins won the toss, elected to bowl, in a bold but tactically daring move and took advantage of a slow track like no one else would have imagined. Despite another strong start from Rohit Sharma, Australia held firm and continued to chip away at wickets at regular intervals to restrict India to 240. With the expected dew and the pitch set to improve under the lights, this was never going to be enough.
And after what Travis Head did with the bat, even 280 wouldn’t have been enough to stop Australia. The left-hander smashed four sixes and 15 fours during his 137-run knock as Australia headed home with six wickets and 7 overs to spare.
While Babar’s message made no mention of India, Afridi praised Rohit Sharma’s men for being the most dominant and consistent team in the tournament with 10 consecutive wins.
“Congratulations to Australia for winning the World Cup title. Surely the best team of the day. Bad luck for India, but the team played fantastically well throughout the tournament,” he said. -he tweeted.
Chasing a tricky 241 for victory in the final, Australia slipped to 47-3 before left-hander Head reached his second century of the tournament to take the team home with seven overs remaining.
The header and his marathon 192 with Marnus Labuschagne’s unbeaten 58 ended India’s dominant 10-match unbeaten run at the event.
“It’s huge, it’s the pinnacle of cricket, winning a World Cup, especially here in India. These are moments you will remember for the rest of your life,” Cummins said.
The lead fell after his 120-ball knock laced with 15 fours and four sixes before Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs to spark wild celebrations in the Australian camp.
“I’m delighted to be part of it,” said man of the match Head who only joined the team after a period of rehabilitation after breaking his hand in South Africa on the eve of the tournament .
“It’s much better than watching the World Cup on the couch at home (nursing his hand injury). I was a little nervous but Marnus played exceptionally well and absorbed all the pressure.”
India’s chances of ending a global trophy drought since winning the 2013 Champions Trophy went up in smoke once Head started with Labuschagne.
Head’s century was the seventh in a World Cup final and the third for an Australian after Ricky Ponting (140 not out against India in 2003) and Adam Gilchrist (149 against Sri Lanka in 2007).
“The result did not go our way and we know we were not good enough on the day. But I am proud of the team,” Indian captain Rohit Sharma said.
