Sydney, Nov 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) Australia captain Pat Cummins believes his team have created a career-defining legacy with their 2023 ODI World Cup win, after a long six months on the road in India and England.

Cummins and other Australian players began landing back home on Wednesday morning, after days of celebrations in India.

"I think they have created their own legacy. A World Cup, you only get one chance every four years and especially playing somewhere like India, it's hard," Cummins said of his side as he touched down at Sydney Airport.

Cummins, hailed for his leadership in the semi-final and final, confessed that after Australia's initial defeats to India and South Africa, he believed their tournament was nearly finished

"To be honest (I did think we were long odds). It almost became sudden death really. We thought we pretty much had to be flawless from there on in just to make the semis. And we pretty much were. We started to find ways to win, even when we weren't having our best days," Cummins said.

"Even before the tournament, we knew playing ODI cricket in India, it's a pretty tough assignment. To be pitted up against the rest of the world and come away with a medal, it doesn't get any better than that. We couldn't have planned for much better. So a pretty satisfied group," he added.

Cummins and pacer Josh Hazelwood landed in Sydney on Wednesday morning while head coach Andrew McDonalds and Allrounder Mitchell Marsh touched down at the Melbourne Airport. Marnus Labuschagne landed in Brisbane.

Seven members of the squad have remained in India to feature in the looming T20 series, while the other half have returned to prepare for the Test summer.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) India may have stumbled at the final hurdle, but the ICC Men's ODI World Cup was a great campaign for the two-time winners and they gained many things from this, says former India star Suresh Raina.

In this superb campaign, the player that impressed former India star Suresh Raina the most was middle-order batter K.L Rahul who said Mohammed Shami was his player of the tournament.

Raina, who said the Indians failed to put pressure on the Australians after reducing them to 47/3, said the reason for the Indian bowlers failing to capitalise on that situation was that the batters could only put up 240 runs on the board/

"From an Indian perspective, I was very impressed with K.L Rahul but Mohammed Shami was my player of the tournament. The way he bowled against New Zealand and throughout the whole World Cup, he just went bang, bang, bang," he wrote in his column for the ICC website.

Raina also praised Rohit Sharma's captaincy for India's superb performance in the World Cup.

"I thought Rohit Sharma’s captaincy was fantastic too. He looked very solid in his planning, decision-making, approach and execution. He looked like a proper leader.

"Like M.S Dhoni before him, he brought a team together and they played excellently. I don’t know if Rohit will play in the next 50-over World Cup, he might play in the T20 World Cup, but he really wanted to win the World Cup for the whole country. But God planned something else," he said.

Raina said that the Indians performed brilliantly throughout the ICC Men's ODI World Cup except for the final.

"It’s very disappointing because they did so well in every department before the final. There were still some great moments, not least Virat scoring his 50th century in front of his idol, Sachin Tendulkar.

"We will see the Indian team doing well again because they know how to reach the latter stages of tournaments now. It just takes a bit of time to understand how to manage those pressure situations, especially when you’re at home," wrote Raina.

"Sometimes when there’s a lot of pressure you can lose your focus, and I think that’s a lesson they will learn from this.

"Despite the disappointment, there’s no doubt that this event has truly captured the hearts of the nation. New records have been set in stadium attendance, broadcast viewership and digital engagements, making this truly the biggest ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ever.

In four years’ time, all eyes will be on hosts South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, and it will be great to see new teams come through like we’ve seen with Afghanistan in recent years," he said.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, Nov 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Pat Cummins' captaincy proved the difference between India and Australia in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad that the Aussies won by six wickets and claimed their sixth World Cup title.

In a column for the website of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Cummins' captaincy especially his bowling changes swung the game in Australia's favour.

"What swung the game in Australia’s favour was Pat Cummins’ captaincy. The way he brought Glenn Maxwell into the attack to get the wicket of Rohit Sharma with a brilliant catch from Travis Head was very smart. Adam Zampa was great too, as was Cummins himself in dismissing Virat Kohli," wrote Raina in a column, saying Australia outplayed India and were very solid in their planning.

"I think Cummins showed real temperament in his captaincy. He changed his bowlers knowing he could put pressure on each India batter even though they were all in such good form. His tactics made all the difference and his planning and execution was perfect," Raina said.

The former India star, a member of the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team, said that Australia's superb fielding too played a huge role in their victory.

"Another big factor was Australia’s fielding, I think they saved 30 to 40 runs. From ball one, they were saving a lot of singles and boundaries. There was Travis’s catch and some excellent work in the deep from David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne," said Raina.

Raina also noted that the Indians could not put pressure on Australia after reducing them to 47/3. He praised Travis Head for changing the direction of the match with his batting.

"If you look at Australia’s innings, they were 47 for three, but India couldn’t put the pressure on because they were only defending 241 and then Travis Head played the best knock of the World Cup to change the direction of the game with his positive batting.

"Credit goes to Travis and Marnus, the way they played when the pressure started to come back onto Australia showed they know how to win an ICC trophy.

The Chennai Super Kings legend felt that the Australian bowlers used the pitch and the conditions well.

"India looked very good from a bowling point of view but were left disappointed because they didn’t understand the wicket," he said.

"It was very dry and they couldn’t keep pressure on with the bat because Australia bowled a lot of short balls and deliveries into the wicket which meant India couldn’t rotate the strike. Rohit’s wicket was a turning point and there were not enough runs on the board, especially when you’re used to making totals of up to 400," said Raina.

The 36-year-old left-hander said Glenn Maxwell's sensational double century against Afghanistan was a turning point for Australia.

"Glenn Maxwell’s double century against Afghanistan gave them the belief they could win the World Cup because when one player performs that well, everyone else wants to do the same for their country. Travis believed he could do it in the final and he did.

Raina noted that Afghanistan and the Netherlands impressed him with their upset wins.

"Afghanistan and the Netherlands both really impressed me and New Zealand did well too. We saw a lot of great individual performances from Bas de Leede and Paul van Meekeren of the Netherlands, to Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand and Mohammad Wasim of Pakistan, who looked very promising," said Raina.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Ben Stokes chose a hilarious way to congratulate Australia after they clinched their record-extending sixth World Cup title, beating India by six wickets in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

The Australian team led by skipper Pat Cummins came back from a poor start to the tournament losing to India and South Africa in their first two matches. However, Australia won eight matches in a row to reach the final and eventually won the title by beating India by six wickets.

Congratulating Pat Cummins and the Australian team, Stokes chose a hilarious way citing "it took a while" with "gritted teeth" to praise the Australian team.

"Taken me a while to type this with gritted teeth. Congrats to Pat Cummins and his Australia team on winning the World Cup, after 8 weeks of hard-fought cricket there is nothing better than lifting that trophy at the end of it," said Stokes on X (previously Twitter).

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Australia bundled out India for 240 in 50 overs despite half-centuries by Virat Kohli and K.L Rahul.

In reply, Australia lost early wickets before riding a century by Travis Head and a half-century by Manus Labuschagne to emerge victorious and claim the Men's ODI World Cup for the sixth time.

–IANS

hs/bsk

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) The team India campaign ended with a loss in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 against Australia after a successful 10 wins in a row.

Rohit Sharma and company fell short of their third men's ODI World Cup title at the Narendra Modi Stadium after scoring a below-par score of 240 in 50 overs. Travis Head's sensational century, after a disciplined bowling performance, helped Australia comfortably beat the previously unbeaten Men in Blue by six wickets.

With this win, the Aussies secured a record-extending sixth World Cup title.

However, with the concerns going around the age and fitness of some of the players, the 2023 World Cup edition might also be the last for many Indian players.

The next ODI World Cup will be played in South Africa in 2027 and several players in the current squad are now on the wrong side of 30 and might not be around by the time the next edition of the marquee ICC event rolls around.

Here's a look at five Indian players who might not be around featuring in the next edition of the World Cup.

Rohit Sharma

After a successful campaign with the bat in the 2023 World Cup, Rohit Sharma might end his decorated career without a World Cup trophy in his cabinet. After missing the chance to feature in the 2011 World Cup, Rohit captained the side and completely changed the landscape of Indian batting by providing a thrilling start.

He amassed 597 runs (most by a captain in a single edition) at an average of 54.27 and a stupendous strike rate of 125.94, with the latter metric being a team-high.

However, Rohit, who is closer to 37 than he is to 36, isn't getting any younger.

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin, who only got added to the Indian ODI World Cup 2023 squad after left-arm spinner Axar Patel was ruled out due to injury. Ashwin played just the first game against Australia and picked up one wicket while conceding 34 runs.

Ashwin is 37 years old, and it's fairly safe to say that he might be the first one to hang the boot before the 2027 World Cup. He is also likely to be dropped from the ODI side, this time perhaps for good.

Ashwin was also part of the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team.

Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami carried the Indian team single-handedly on his shoulder with his bowling prowess. He finished the tournament as a leading wicket-taker and broke many records.

He also became the highest wicket-taker for India on the World Cup stage and had superb numbers for India.

He will be 37 years old and being a fast bowler it will be very hard for him to carry on by the time the next World Cup takes place and we might not see him around by that time.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli was awarded Player of the Tournament award for his stupendous 765 runs at 95.62 with three hundred and six half-centuries, raising the bar for many young cricketers. He went on to break batting legend Sachin Tendulkar's record of most centuries in ODI cricket.

However, the 35-year-old might not feature in the next edition of the ODI World Cup as he has given everything in this tournament.

Though his fitness is superb, with the amount of cricket he plays, it will be hard for him to stay relevant till 2027.

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja who had a successful 2023 World Cup campaign both with the bat and ball and he might also not feature in the next 2027 World Cup.

Jadeja took 16 wickets and scored 120 runs with the bat to finish his World Cup 2023 campaign.

Aged 34, there is no doubt regarding his fitness but with the young lot ready to come into the Indian team, Jadeja may not find a spot for himself in the next edition of the World Cup.

–IANS

hs/bsk

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has made history by being the most attended ICC event ever, after 1,205,307 fans passed through the turnstiles to witness the biggest Cricket World Cup, culminating in Australia winning a remarkable sixth title.

With six games to go the spectator figures had already surpassed the one million mark with the momentum escalating as the World Cup culminated in front of a packed crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

The event which ran from October 5 to November 19 and promised to place fans at the centre of the action recorded the biggest attendance for a Men’s Cricket World Cup opening match when England faced New Zealand in a repeat of the 2019 final, followed by the most attended India against Pakistan fixture in ICC World Cup history when fans flocked through the turnstiles on October 14.

The figure of over 1.25 million fans is a new benchmark in the history of cricket, surpassing the attendance figures of any other ICC event. The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2015, held in Australia and New Zealand, witnessed 1,016,420 spectators, while the 2019 edition in England and Wales saw 752,000 fans come through the turnstiles.

The 13th edition of the Men’s Cricket World Cup held in India has eclipsed these figures as well as breaking multiple broadcast and digital viewership records, proving the global reach and ever-growing popularity of the sport.

Chris Tetley, ICC Head of Events said, "The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has been a great success, showcasing the best aspects of the game and capturing the hearts of hundreds of millions of fans across the world. The staggering attendance demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and the excitement the ODI format continues to offer. It has been an event that has not only entertained but also united cricket fans globally in a celebration of the sport.

“ICC events play an important part in growing our game and inspiring the next generation of fans and players around the world. We would like to thank all the fans who contributed to making the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 such a resounding success, and look forward to sharing more thrilling experiences for everyone in future ICC events.”

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) The time between 2007 and 2013 fetched India unforgettable success in global ICC men’s events: the inaugural T20 World Cup triumph in 2007, the 2011 ODI World Cup victory on home soil and an exciting 2013 Champions Trophy win. But after that, the trophy cabinet has been bare.

After 2013, India never got their hands on the trophy, leaving its fans disappointed and puzzled over the inability to finish the line when it matters the most. Things seemed to make a change for the good in 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, where India wowed fans with its electrifying performances in all departments to be on a ten-match winning streak.

That unbeaten run, built on sheer domination with bat, ball and field, had given its hugely passionate fans a real chance of seeing the sinking feeling in the knockouts being laid to rest. But in front of 92,453 fans sporting a sea of blue at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19, that familiar feeling came back to haunt India again when it mattered the most.

A six-wicket defeat to an Australian team which had done its homework very well in terms of conditions and planning for every personnel in the opposition consigned the Indian team and its fans in stadium plus around the world to yet another heartbreak.

A day after the final, there was a sense of emptiness and eerie silence over how that familiar sinking feeling in the knockouts came all over again, denying India its date with its destiny – of achieving glory at home.

As the dust starts to settle down on the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, one needs to start thinking on where it goes awry for India every single time in the knockouts. In the last three Men’s ODI World Cups, India have lost only four out of 28 matches. But here’s a catch – three out of those four losses came in the knockouts stage.

In the last ten years, India have the highest win percentage for matches in global tournaments, standing at 69.15%, but with no titles against its name. The bad record of the results in knockouts has made India look like a student who’s brilliant and tops the unit exams, but constantly gets the second spot in the year-end examinations.

So, what is it about the knockouts of global tournaments that India and its fans are made to revisit that familiar sinking feeling? Well, there’s no concrete answer to it. When this query was posed to Rahul Dravid in the post-final press conference, he also couldn’t zero in on an exact reason.

“If I knew the answer, I would say that. To be honest, I don't know. I've been involved in three now, one semifinal, and the World Test Championship, and this one as well. I just think we haven't played really well on the day. I thought we were a bit short in Adelaide, in the semifinal. We lost the first day in the World Test Championship, unfortunately.”

“We didn't bowl particularly well after Australia was three down there. And here we didn't bat well enough in the first. So, there's not one particular reason you can pin it down to. It's not that, I mean, I didn't feel at any stage going into this game that there were any nerves or the guys were intimidated by the game or they were concerned about the game.”

“They were looking forward to it; we were excited about the game. I thought there was energy and the mental space the boys were in leading into this particular game was spot-on and terrific. Just on the day we probably didn't execute, and Australia played better than us.”

Dravid’s reply means there is still something which isn’t clear yet on the query over India faltering in knockouts. But if one zooms into what went wrong for India in the Men’s ODI World Cup final, then two things emerge – a big knock missing from top three and lack of depth in the playing eleven.

In each of India’s ten victories, where they captured the imagination of fans, either of Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli or even both were amongst the runs. But in the final, though Rohit and Virat made contributions, there weren’t like the big knocks which they played in the matches before the title clash.

Rohit made 47 before mistiming his lofted shot and was caught very well by a back-pedalling Travis Head at cover, while Kohli scored 54 and chopped on to his stumps off captain Pat Cummins. The rest of India batters minus Rohit and Virat totalled only 139 runs.

In ODI cricket finals, Rohit has made 303 runs in 11 innings, including three fifties, at an average of 27.54, while Kohli has scored 208 runs in nine innings, making just one fifty, at an average of 26. Moreover, with Hardik Pandya’s exit due to a left ankle injury, there was a balance issue, which India tried to fix by bringing in Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Shami.

Though Shami shined to be the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, India’s tail began from number eight with the bat and left no room for a sixth bowling option as none of top six were dependable enough to eke out some quiet overs.

On the other hand, Australia used seven bowlers and their batting line-up was also long, thanks to packing themselves with utility all-rounders, plus the left-handed opener Head also capable of some off-spin bowling.

India’s previous World Cup triumphs in 1983 and 2011 had these two elements which propelled Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni to script epic triumphs. This 2023 World Cup campaign promised the dream to be turned into reality, till an all-familiar sinking feeling came back to thwart that hope.

India's glorious run in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup will make for awesome viewing in the highlights package as well as in standalone reels and shorts on social media platforms. But it didn’t result in what was on everyone’s mind - another star on the crest of the jersey (and fulfilment of 3 ka dream anthem by kit sponsor Adidas) or a place in the history books as Men's ODI World Cup champions.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Australia's legendary fast-bowler Brett Lee believes India were definitely the favourites to win the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup trophy, but Australia’s tenacity helped them pull off a victory and take their sixth 50-over title in men’s international cricket.

India were the pre-tournament favourites and won 10 straight matches in familiar conditions in the competition. But their unbeaten run came to an end when they lost to Australia by six wickets in Sunday’s final at Ahmedabad. India were bowled out for 240 after being put in to bat first, which Australia chased down in 43 overs, thanks to a superb 120-ball 137 from Travis Head.

“If you look back on statistics and what has happened in this campaign, India should have won. India should have won the tournament with their men on paper, with their current form leading into the final.”

“India were definitely favourites, 100 per cent favourites, but it’s that old Aussie mentality to never ever give up and that goes a long way in big tournaments. There were a lot of people that wrote the Aussies off saying they weren’t a chance, they did get off to a slow start.”

“But they proved once again last night that with that tenacity, dedication and self-belief amongst the team that you can actually pull anything off. They actually dominated right from ball one,” said Lee to foxsports.com.au.

Australia’s campaign was off to a bad start after losing to India and South Africa in the league stage. But they bounced back with a win over Sri Lanka, which began their run of winning nine straight games to claim the World Cup title.

Lee, a member of the 2003 World Cup winning side, also credited Australia’s stunning performance in the final to captain Pat Cummins’ calmness and ability to keep the team together after losing their first two games.

“The captaincy from Pat Cummins to harness all that energy and belief within the team, we know what would have happened in that team meeting before going out on the field yesterday.”

“He would have said ‘all right guys, let’s just breathe, take this moment in and enjoy the 130,000 people, we may never get this moment again’. To me, it would have been that calmness that Pat Cummins would have been put over his players because they weren’t looking good after the first two games. They got off to a shocker, but once again with some belief and talent they have lifted the World Cup,” he concluded.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Australia cricketer Simon O’Donnell believes left-handed opener Travis Head will captain Australia one day following his superb 137 in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final against India. At the same time, he believes Head can be the skipper once Pat Cummins’ time as captain is over.

At the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, Head notched up a sublime 120-ball 137, including hitting 15 boundaries and four sixes, for Australia to chase down 241 in 43 overs and claim their sixth World Cup title.

Head also became just the fourth cricketer in history of the World Cup to win Player of the Match awards in both semi-final and final, having previously won the award in the last-four clash against South Africa at Kolkata. He had also slammed a rapid 163 off 174 balls in the first innings against India to give Australia their first World Test Championship title at The Oval, London, in June this year.

“I think we’re looking at the next Australian captain in Travis Head. That won’t be too far down the track. He’ll probably have to give one of them (formats) away to be the Australian captain, I would think he’ll give T20 away at that stage. It’s a few years down the track. Pat Cummins basically signed the document last night. For as long as he’s fit and playing, he’ll be captain of Australia,” said O’Donnell to SEN Radio.

In the field, Head was hugely impactful in dismissing India skipper Rohit Sharma. He ran back from the cover region to complete a sensational back-pedalling catch. “It was no surprise he took that catch that got rid of Sharma and then made the hundred he did. He’s just a big game player.”

“Travis Head is just a superstar, an absolute superstar, and it doesn’t matter what form. I think he’s a Test match superstar, I think he’s a 50-over superstar, and I think he’s a T20 superstar,” added O’Donnell.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins had revealed how a plan to get Head recover quickly from a fractured hand, resulting in him missing initial stage of the tournament, worked well to perfection, resulting in the formidable opener shining yet again in a global finale.

“We thought his World Cup was straight over. It wasn’t until I think it was about the next night afterwards where Ronnie (McDonald) came up to me. He’s like, ‘I haven’t slept all last night. I think we’re going to keep him. We’re going to take the risk. He might be right for the Netherlands and then if we’re going to make the finals and we want to win the World Cup I think he needs to be there for the finals’.”

“It’s his idea and again great work by the medical team and it means you probably don’t have the second spinner in your squad, which is a risk, but obviously paid off. I think we could have been made to look really silly if that didn’t pay off, but you’ve got to take those risks to win a tournament.”

“And Trav, the player we’ve seen in Test cricket, he epitomised everything I want out of a cricket team. He takes the game on, he plays with a smile, he just puts the pressure right back onto the opposition and he’s just great fun to be around. I couldn’t be happier for Trav.”

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Australia’s middle-order batter Marnus Labuschagne said his mindset while batting alongside Travis Head during their successful chase of 241 in the Men’s ODI World Cup final against India was to bat as if it was a Test match.

Australia were 47/3 at the end of seven overs, and Labuschagne played the second fiddle to perfection in the 192-run partnership with Head, who struck a superb 120-ball 137. Eventually Labuschagne made an unbeaten 58 off 110 balls, laced with four boundaries, to take Australia to their sixth World Cup title.

"I was quite nervous when I was waiting to bat. But when you get on the field, nothing really changes. You're watching the ball, and you just try and get in the zone, trying to focus, the noise sort of gets blocked out, it gets into the periphery, but it was loud. There was a bit of pressure there, but it was good."

"My mindset was you treat it like a Test match. When you're batting with Travis Head, there's usually no run-rate pressure. When you're chasing a lower total like 230 (241), unless you're really struggling, there's not going to be much run-rate pressure. It was just about being nice and positive."

"But also lock-in like I would if I was playing a Test match, just making sure I was defending the ball well and when they bowled a bad ball, score off that. Just make sure you're building a partnership with your partner out there," Labuschagne was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

It was a surreal World Cup ride from Labuschagne, who wasn't in Australia's provisional World Cup squad and wasn’t even on a tour of South Africa. He was quickly summoned to South Africa as a batting cover for Steven Smith’s wrist injury and then came in as a concussion sub for Cameron Green in the first ODI at Bloemfontein, to be 80 not out and seal a tense three-wicket win.

A calf injury to Ashton Agar meant Labuschagne was a last-minute addition to the World Cup squad and made crucial contributions in various stages of the tournament which culminated in a sixth World Cup title for Australia.

"It's hard for me not to believe in miracles. There's someone above putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I think unofficially I was dropped five times. I wasn't in the squad in South Africa, someone got concussed, I got an opportunity, got some runs and pushed my case."

"Then I got on the squad, and played 19 games in a row, since the first South Africa match. I'm very thankful to the coaches and selectors for sticking by me. There are some really good players. Marcus Stoinis missed out this game, and he's a phenomenal player. I'm just very thankful they stuck by me and I lucked out," added Labuschagne.

He signed off by saying keeping the crowd influence out of his partnership with Head also proved to be key. "The sound of silence is a great sound in India because it means you're on top."

"When me and Travis were batting, we were discussing about making sure we got them here, everything's quiet, just keep playing. We played two different styles, he played an unbelievable innings, but it was about keeping engaged every ball, play every ball on merit and keep the crowd out of it."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Sachin Tendulkar, the cricket legend, extended his congratulations to Australia for securing their sixth ODI World Cup victory and also conveyed a heartfelt message to the Indian team, praising their relentless efforts in the tournament.

India won 10 straight matches to reach the final on home soil, but were beaten on the day by an Australian side who delivered in all facets of the game to run out winners by six wickets to lift their sixth men's ODI World Cup title on Sunday.

Sachin acknowledged Australia's superior cricket performance while also praising the Men in Blue for their dedicated efforts throughout the tournament.

"Congratulations to Australia on their sixth World Cup win. On the most important day of the biggest stage, they played better cricket.

Hard luck Team India, just one bad day in an otherwise sterling tournament can be heartbreaking. I can imagine the agony of the players, fans and well-wishers and what they must be going through. Losses are a part of the sport but let us remember that this unit gave their all for us throughout the tournament," Sachin wrote on social media platform X.

Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), also praised the Indian team's unyielding spirit and their relentless attitude that never wavers.

"Although the Men in Blue may have fallen short in the Cricket World Cup 2023 finals against Australia, their journey has left an indelible mark of inspiration. From triumph to tribulation, each match became a testament to the unwavering spirit, determination, and skill of our team. Winning all 10 matches leading up to the finals, they showcased the true essence of cricket – a game that is as unpredictable as it is beautiful.

"The entire nation rallied behind our boys, transforming this World Cup into a nationwide celebration of cricket in India. The energy, passion, and unyielding support from the entire population were truly incredible," Shah wrote a long post on X.

"To every single member of Team India, I express heartfelt gratitude. Your dedication, hard work, and perseverance have provided moments of pure joy throughout this tournament. You've made us proud, not just with your victories, but with the way you've played the game – with heart, with pride, and with a never-say-die attitude.

"This World Cup wasn't just about the wins; it was about the emotions, the camaraderie, and the indomitable spirit of Team India. Thank you for the joy and the unforgettable moments. Here's to the Men in Blue – true champions in every sense. The journey may have ended, but the pride and love for our team will resonate forever," the post further read.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) India skipper Rohit Sharma, talismanic batter Virat Kohli, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, fast-bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have been included in the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup team of the tournament.

Though India finished as runners-up in the tournament, after its unbeaten ten-match winning streak came to an end with a six-wicket defeat to Australia in the final at Ahmedabad, six players from the team made it to the team of the tournament, including Kohli, the leading run-scorer and Player of the Tournament, as well as leading wicket-taker Shami.

Named in the Team of the Tournament for the second straight time in a 50-over World Cup, Rohit was instrumental in setting the tone at the top of the order for India. After a duck against Australia in Chennai, Sharma was unstoppable with a blistering 131 from just 84 balls to win the Player of the Match award against Afghanistan.

He backed that by top-scoring with 86 in a vital win over fierce rivals Pakistan, and passed 40 on all but one occasion thereafter, including in the final against Australia, setting the base for India to get big totals or ace chases.

Kohli hit a staggering 765 runs at an average of 95.62, shattering the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who amassed 673 runs during the 2003 edition. Kohli’s best performance came in the semi-final win over New Zealand as his 117 and third tournament century, also his 50th ODI ton and surpassing Tendulkar, steered India to its first final in 12 years.

Rahul chipped with several key knocks throughout the tournament, like an unbeaten 97 in Chennai, as well as a hundred in a routine win over the Netherlands at his home ground in Bengaluru. He top scored for India in the final with 66 but it proved in vain as the hosts were denied by an inspired Australia side.

Jadeja impressed with the ball, most notably against South Africa when he became only the second Indian spinner after Yuvraj Singh to take a five-wicket haul in ODI World Cups. He made further history with two wickets against the Netherlands three days later, as he overtook Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble for the most wickets in a single World Cup by an Indian spinner.

Shami was a late addition to India’s playing eleven, but left a huge impact thereafter. He recorded the best figures of any bowler in a World Cup knockout game after his seven-for in the semi-final success over New Zealand. That performance helped Shami to the top of the wicket charts following mesmerising displays against New Zealand (5/54) and Sri Lanka (5/18).

Bumrah, just like Rohit, is included for the second World Cup running after taking 20 wickets, two more than his tally in 2019. Ever a threat with the new ball, Bumrah picked up the early wickets of Australia’s Mitchell Marsh and Steven Smith as India threatened to stage a dramatic fightback in the final.

Other players in the team of the tournament include all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who helped Australia get their sixth World Cup title on Sunday. New Zealand’s top-order batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell, as well as Sri Lanka’s left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka find places too. South Africa’s recently retired wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock is also included, while young fast-bowler Gerald Coetzee is the 12th man.

2023 Men’s ODI World Cup Team of the Tournament: Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Daryl Mitchell, KL Rahul, Glenn Maxwell, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Dilshan Madushanka, Adam Zampa and Mohammed Shami. 12th player: Gerald Coetzee

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine has heaped Pat Cummins with praise after captaining the team to their sixth Men’s ODI World Cup title, saying there wasn’t a thing the right-arm fast-bowler got wrong in winning the final over hosts India by six wickets.

At a packed Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision which surprised many. But the pitch being slow and tough to make runs, with Cummins picking 2/40 and setting impressive fields, meant India were bowled out for 240, a total which Australia chased down in 43 overs, thanks to Travis Head’s superb 137.

“When we won the toss I think Pat Cummins shocked everyone a bit with the call to bowl first. They obviously had some terrific mail – and they all have a lot of IPL experience and have been there – the mail on that ground is that the dew comes in and it is extremely hard to bowl in the second innings, and I think we saw that.”

“The concern was, I think, that being an Indian pitch and potentially being a bit drier that it would spin and slow right up and it didn’t do that, if anything it actually got slightly better. I don’t think there was a thing last night that Pat Cummins got wrong. He was outstanding and he deserves a lot of credit for that. Andrew McDonald and his coaching staff deserve a lot of credit for that,” said Paine on SEN Radio.

He also elaborated on how Cummins got his decisions and strategies right from the word go. “Bowling first was the first call. Then when we were bowling, you could see the homework that went into it. The fields we had early to Rohit Sharma, that deep point, slip and Glenn Maxwell at like a fly slip.”

“Then to change that around as soon as they saw the wicket was a bit slower and the ball got older to Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, at times we went with four guys on the off side and no cover. I haven’t seen that in one-day cricket. The thinking to be able to come up with that plan to clog up the leg side to both of those guys, but then the bowlers executed it beautifully.”

“Then I think the way we got those early wickets, although they were scoring quickly, we knew if we could get early wickets we would expose their middle order who haven’t played a lot of cricket. When the Indian batsmen were trying to consolidate, Pat read that beautifully and brought Travis Head on and Mitch Marsh on to bank some overs when they weren’t really looking to take us on.”

Cummins and Australia have now won the World Test Championship, retained The Ashes and won the Men’s ODI World Cup in an unprecedented 2023. “I thought that was fantastic and allowed us a bit more freedom and imagination at the back end of the innings. I thought Pat Cummins had one of the great games as the captain and then when he bowled, that’s as good as I have seen him for a while.”

“He hasn’t had his best World Cup, but last night, and we’ve spoken about this a lot, Australia has players who stand up in the big moments because they’ve been there before and Cummins did that not just with his leadership, but with the ball.”

“When he went full speed, he was hitting the wicket hard and I thought he set the tone. His captaincy brilliant, his bowling was outstanding and we were brilliant in the field as well. The staff and the leadership around the group deserve so much credit for that,” concluded Paine.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) India missed out on a golden opportunity to become the only country to win two men's ODI World Cup titles at home on Sunday here at Narendra Modi Stadium.

Australia lifted their sixth men's ODI World Cup title after defeating the hosts India in the finals of the showpiece event following a scintillating display of batting by Travis Head (137).

Be it batting, bowling, or fielding, Australia completely dominated the set-up and Team India looked clueless in the game. The loss couldn't be attributed to a single player obviously but there were instances where the team didn't just put up the show.

Batting first on a pitch which is very slow and a tricky surface, had already put India onto the backfoot. Rohit Sharma said he would have batted first only even if India have won the toss.

Australian skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first so he had a fair share of idea of what could be a par score in this tricky wicket.

Also, when India lost three wickets, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in order to steady the ship played really slow. The duo added 67 runs in the 18 overs. The defensive approach coupled with Australia's brilliance in the field made sure, the hosts fell 40-50 runs short.

While both Kohli and Rahul reached their fifties, their failure to capitalize on the starts contributed to India's struggle. Rahul's innings of 66 off 107 balls was deemed too slow for modern-day cricket standards. Suryakumar Yadav, coming in after Ravindra Jadeja, faced challenges settling in, hindering India's scoring momentum. The team could only manage to post a total of 240 runs.

Speaking about the partnership, Dravid in the post-match press conference said, "There was that period where I think the ball was stopping. We weren't able to get boundaries. We were rotating the strike, but we weren't able to hit those boundaries. And yeah, there was a conscious effort to try and take the game deep, but we kept losing wickets. We just lost wickets just when we felt that we built a partnership and we can start going. We lost a wicket, we lost Virat (Kohli), then we lost Jaddu (Jadeja) and then we lost (KL) Rahul."

Also, Suryakumar came after Jadeja which never allowed him the time to get settled. The right-handed batter struggled to even middle the ball and in the end, India was only able to score 240 runs.

In the bowling department, Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah provided India with a promising start. However, the field setup for a new batter lacked aggression, missing opportunities to put pressure on the opposition.

Head's brilliance also made sure India were never in the game. He first took a blinder to dismiss Indian captain Rohit and then hit a scintillating century to steer Australia to an ODI World Cup win.

India, who had enjoyed a remarkable run in the World Cup with ten consecutive victories, seemed unprepared for a collapse. Coach Dravid acknowledged that the team fell short by 30-40 runs of the par score, emphasising the challenging conditions during their batting innings.

"I think we fell about 30-40 runs short. It's not that we were looking to bat it out. I thought they bowled well through that period. I thought it just felt like the ball was stopping in the afternoon a little bit more than it did in the evening. And not that there was a lot of dew, to be honest, but just felt like the ball came on to the bat a lot better in the evening," said Dravid in the post-match press conference.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Two-time World Cup winner Shane Watson has led the praise of Travis Head and Pat Cummins after Australia's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup victory over hosts India in Ahmedabad.

Taking a superb catch running into the outfield to dismiss the dangerous Rohit Sharma (47 from 31 balls) and wrestle momentum, Head kickstarted Australia's push to keep the hosts to 241.

The pressure was on Head when Australia slipped to 47/3 in search of a target of 241. survived a tricky early period against an imperious fast bowling attack to finish with 137 (120) to his name, taking Australia from 47/3 to 239/4 with Marnus Labuschagne (58*) inside 43 over, all but taking Australia to victory.

Head watched on as Maxwell hit the winning runs, before being crowned Player of the Match for his exploits.

Speaking on the latest episode of The ICC Review podcast after Australia's sixth Cricket World Cup title, Watson lauded the opening batter's continued aggression when so many others would have crept into their shell.

"There's no question that he's a high risk, high reward batter. He takes the game on. Once he finds his groove, as we saw after probably about 50 or 60 runs, then he was just in overdrive. And then he was just really in, whenever he wanted to hit the ball to the boundary he did," Watson noted.

Head didn’t play a part in the first half of Australia’s campaign, remaining back home to help his recovery from a broken hand before joining the squad midway through the tournament.

He stormed back into form with a century on his return against New Zealand during group stage action, before Player of the Month performances in the semi-final against South Africa and in Sunday's trophy-claiming victory.

Watson was quick to acknowledge how important it was for him to make immediate impact given his importance to the team's balance.

"With no cricket to be had, to come into a World Cup, getting a hundred against a high-quality New Zealand bowling attack, and then to be able to replicate that in a semi-final against South Africa. The firepower that he possesses. And then the final.

"There's no question that Travis Head in the way he's really reformed himself as a player and as a performer for Australia across all formats of the game has been just through that freedom and fearless way that he's been playing," said Watson.

"He's been a revelation for Australia at the top of the order for sure. The way he's been batting in one day cricket and we had to do it in India in a final, in challenging conditions, one the atmosphere for sure, but these conditions here today certainly were fairly different to what he's used to batting in Australia, for example, and where he got brought up.

"To be able to do that in these conditions as well as shows something of a very, very high quality," he added.

Cummins came under question after two early defeats to begin the tournament. But Watson saluted Cummins' cool and said: "The decisions he made today, his tactics were absolutely spot on," Watson said.

"His ability to be able to galvanise his team and whatever they did to turn things around after that second game, the coach, the support staff and Pat Cummins in the leadership group of the Australian team, whatever they did, they really turned it around and turned it on.

"He's not an experienced captain, even coming into this World Cup, he’d only captained Australia in one day in a handful of occasions."

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) India captain Rohit Sharma credited the crucial innings by Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne for helping Australia beat the hosts by six wickets in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, here at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Head and Labuschagne added 192 runs for the match-winning fourth-wicket partnership after Australia lost early wickets and were reduced to 47 for 3.

Head slammed a match-winning knock of 137 off 120 deliveries and became only the third Australian to score a century in the final of ODI World Cup.

"The result has not gone our way. We were not good enough today. We tried everything but it wasn't supposed to be. 20-30 runs more would have been good, KL and Kohli were stitching a good partnership and we were looking at 270-280 but we kept losing wickets," Rohit Sharma said after the match.

Rohit said Head and Labuschagne batted them out of the match.

"When you have 240 on the board, you want to take wickets but credit to Head and Labuschagne for putting us out of the game, but I feel (the) wicket got slightly better to bat under lights. Don't want to give that as an excuse. We didn't put enough runs on the board. Credit to those two guys in the middle for putting up an outstanding partnership."

Earlier, asked to bat first India put up a below-par score of 240 runs in 50 overs after suffering early loss of wickets. Rohit made a thrilling start to the innings, scoring 47 off 31 deliveries before he got out to Glenn Maxwell attempting a big shot.

India struggled in the middle overs as the Australians bowled tight lines, not giving any chance to score runs. Virat Kohli struggled to 54 runs before getting out to Pat Cummins, trying to chip the ball down to third man.

The Australian pacers yet again rose to the occasion as Mitchell Starc claimed three wickets, and Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins two wickets apiece.

However, the Indian bowlers yet again looked sharp as they sent the top three Australian batters to the pavilion at 47 runs.

It was the innings of Head that took away the game from the Indians as they struggled to get him out.

Australia clinched their record Sixth ODI World Cup title after losing the first two games of the tournament.

–IANS

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Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Marnus Labuschagne called Australia's title triumph in ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 as the best achievement he has been part of after their six-wicket win against India here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Australia clinched their record-extending sixth ICC Cricket World Cup title by defeating India in a gripping final.

"What we have achieved today is unbelievable, it's the best achievement I have been part of," Labuschagne told the broadcasters.

"India has been the team of the tournament but we knew if we played our best cricket we had a chance. Our bowlers were sensational. (Travis) Head put on a sensational display. I'm a man of faith and believe in god but the way this has happened is unbelievable to me. I'm lost for words," he added.

Labuschagne came to the crease at a crucial juncture when Australia lost three of their opening batters and padded the match-winning partnership with Travis Head. He remained not out scoring 58 off 110 deliveries.

Labuschagne also thanked the Australian coaching staff for sticking to them and showing faith in him. "I'm thankful to the coaches for sticking with me," said Labuschagne.

–IANS

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Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Australia on Sunday lifted their sixth men's ODI World Cup title after defeating the hosts India in the finals of the showpiece event following a scintillating display of batting by Travis Head (137) here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Australia is the only country to win six men's ODI World Cup titles, having previously tasted victories in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015. India won two World Cups in 1983 and 2011 respectively.

In Sunday's final, Australia bundled out India for 240 in 50 overs courtesy of Mitchell Starc's three wickets (3-55) and two each from Pat Cummins (2-34) and Josh Hazlewood (2-60) before Head slammed a gutsy ton to take the Team from Down Under over the line.

Marnus Labuschagne played a sluggish knock as he scored 58 in 110 balls but assisted Head and built a 192-run stand for the fourth wicket to dismantle any hope the Indians harboured of making a comeback into the summit clash. Head also became just the second player to hit a century while chasing in a World Cup final.

The match saw an exhilarating start for Australia, with a blazing 15 runs in the very first over. However, the momentum shifted as Mohammad Shami removed David Warner in the second over.

Warner's departure came as a result of an attempted drive that saw the ball swing away, leading to an edge caught by slip, and Virat Kohli executed a flawless catch. Despite this early setback, Mitchell Marsh counter-attacked, contributing with a six and a four, propelling Australia beyond the 40-run mark within four overs.

The crowd erupted once again when Bumrah dismissed Marsh in the fifth over, leaving Australia at 41/2. Bumrah's subsequent over proved crucial as he claimed another wicket, delivering a peach of a delivery that caught Steve Smith in front of the stumps. Although Smith contemplated a review, he opted against it, and Australia found themselves at 47/3 in the seventh over.

The partnership between Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne was the turning point for Australia, as they orchestrated a remarkable recovery, taking the score from 47/3 to 93/3 in the next 10 overs.

In the 27th over, Head and Labuschagne's partnership soared past the 100-run mark, bringing Australia close to the 150-run milestone. Despite India's attempt to challenge an LBW decision against Labuschagne, the batter survived, benefitting from DRS as that went with the umpire's call.

As the game gradually slipped out of India's grasp, Australia comfortably achieved the target in the 43rd over with 42 balls to spare, securing a convincing victory.

Earlier in the day, Australia's bowling masterclass helped the side restrict India to 240 all out in the allotted 50 overs. Rohit Sharma gave India a blazing start, but Australia made a comeback with regular wickets to put the hosts on the back foot.

Starc dismissed Shubman Gill in the fifth over to put a break on the run-scoring but Rohit kept hitting the odd boundaries and stitched a 46-run stand with Virat Kohli.

India went past 50 in just 6.2 overs as Kohli joined the party and hit three consecutive fours. Both batters looked good in the middle and to take the run-scoring a step further, Rohit mistimed a shot in Glenn Maxwell's over and Travis Head took a blinder running towards his back.

Things got worse for the Men In Blue, as India lost wickets in consecutive overs with Shreyas Iyer going back to the pavilion without troubling Australia. India got reduced to 81/3 in the 11th over.

Kohli and K.L Rahul then steadied the ship for the hosts and took India's score past the 100-run mark in the 16th over. The duo continued scoring at a brisk rate taking minimal chances to hit boundaries.

However, Cummins had other plans as he dismissed Kohli in the 29th over to put India again into the back. Kohli, who has scored the most runs in the ongoing World Cup, departed soon after scoring his fifty.

Ravindra Jadeja, surprisingly sent in ahead of Suryakumar Yadav, failed to make an impact and was dismissed in the 36th over. As India crossed the 200-run mark in the 41st over, a final push seemed imminent. However, Starc's return to the attack saw the crucial dismissal of Rahul.

With Suryakumar Yadav holding onto one end, India kept losing wickets as both Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were dismissed cheaply.

Suryakumar and Kuldeep Yadav just added 12 runs for the ninth wicket before Josh Hazlewood dismissed the batter on a slower bouncer. With Suryakumar's wicket, India's hopes of going past the 250-run mark came to an end as the hosts were reduced to 226/9 in the 48th over.

In the end, India were only able to score 240 runs in the allotted 50 overs with Kuldeep and Mohammed Siraj scoring a handful of 10 and 9 respectively.

Brief scores:

India 240 all out in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 47, Virat Kohli 54, KL Rahul 66; Mitchell Starc 3-55) lost to Australia 241/4 in 43 overs (Travis Head 137, Marnus Labuschagne 58*; Bumrah 2-43) by six wickets.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Babar Azam, who quit as Pakistan captain a few days ago, congratulated Australia for their commanding win after they beat India in the final of ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 by six wickets to lift the trophy for the sixth time in the history of the sport, at Narendra Modi Stadium here in Ahmedabad.

Australia defeated India convincingly as they chased down the target of 241 with six wickets in hand, courtesy of a brilliant century by Travis Head.

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam took to Instagram to share a post stating, "Congratulations Cricket Australia. What a commanding performance in the final."

Putting India to bat first, Australia restricted India to just 240 runs. Mitchell Starc took three wickets while Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cumming took two apiece.

It was a great show by Travis Head with the bat as he became the only third Australian after Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting to score a century in a World Cup final.

Travis Head played a handy knock of 137 runs in 120 deliveries and added a match-winning partnership with Marbis Labuschagne. Both batters added 192 runs for the fourth wicket partnership to take Australia to the finishing line.

Labuschagne stayed not out on 58 as Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs for Australia, who clinched their sixth World Cup title.

–IANS

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Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Australia's players on Sunday described it as "unbelievable" and an "amazing feeling" while pacer Josh Hazlewood called it an achievement bigger than their triumph in 2015 after they defeated India in the final to win the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023.

Adjudged Player of the Match for his superb century that helped his country reach 241/4 in 43 overs chasing India's 240 all out and lifting the crown for the sixth time in the history of ODI cricket, Travis Head described it as an "amazing day" as Australia came back from losing their first two games to win the title.

"What an amazing day! Just thrilled to be a part of it. It's a lot better than seeing the World Cup on the couch at home (on his injury)," said Head, who joined the squad midway through the World Cup after recuperating from an injury.

Marnus Labuschagne, who scored an unbeaten 58 to help Travis Head guide Australia to victory, said it is the best achievement he has ever been part of

"What we've achieved today is unbelievable. It's the best achievement I've ever been part of. India was the team of the tournament, but you knew if you play your best cricket, you have a chance. Our bowlers were sensational, and Travis put on one hell of a display. The way everything has happened is unbelievable. I'm lost for words. Two months ago, I wasn't even in the one-day team in South Africa," said a teary-eyed Labuschagne.

Glenn Maxwell, who guided Australia to a sensational victory against Afghanistan by scoring a double century to lead the team from 91/7 to victory, hitting the winning shot just felt amazing. "It was a bit of a slog (the winning hit) but it feels amazing. I sort of resigned to the fact that I wouldn't have to bat but Heady (Travis Head) got out but what a win! It's a bit different when you're watching Heady taking on Bumrah. Marnus soaked up the pressure and was outstanding. Heady with his ball-striking was second to none," said Maxwell.

Hazlewood said the win was bigger than their triumph in the 2015 World Cup. "I think it's bigger than [2015 World Cup victory]. Great crowd, Indian fans are second to none. Tonight, we put it together when it counts," he said.

Steve Smith described it as incredible performance. "It's incredible and yeah it was just a great performance. The bowlers set the tone and the fielding was great this evening. Took the game on and kept playing to our strengths. Wasn't the ideal start for us, but we had the belief. Fortunately, we were able to do that and Australia typically plays well in those [big] moments. Big year for us, also winning the Test Championship," he said.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Opener Travis Head smashed a sensational century (137) in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 as Australia defeated India by six wickets to lift the coveted trophy for the sixth time here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Australia bundled out India for 240 in 50 overs courtesy of Mitchell Starc's three wickets and two each from Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. In response, Head slammed a gutsy ton to steer the Team from Down Under to a comfortable win over India.

Marnus Labuschagne played a sluggish innings as he scored 58 in 110 balls but the knock proved to be a great assist to Head, who went all guns blazing against the Indian bowlers. Head also became just the second player to hit a century while chasing in a World Cup final.

Despite a challenging start for Australia, losing early wickets to Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, Head and Labuschagne's partnership turned the tide in Australia's favour. Head's impressive century, his fifth in ODIs, powered Australia past India's target with ease.

Australia started their campaign with two straight losses but bounced back in style with seven wins in the league phase before winning the semifinal against South Africa in Kolkata and the summit clash against India on Sunday.

With this win, Australia have now won the men's ODI World Cup crown six times, having previously triumphed in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015.

Chasing 241 in the final showdown, Australia got off to a blistering start smashing 15 runs in the very first over. But Shami removed David Warner in the second over as Australia lost their first wicket.

The ball swung away from Warner as he tried to drive, edging it to slip and Virat Kohli made no mistake. Meanwhile, Mitchell Marsh counter-attacked with a six and four as Australia went past the 40-run mark in four overs.

The crowd roared once again as Bumrah dismissed Marsh in the fifth over, reducing Australia to 41/2. The pacer bowled a wicket-maiden as India bounced back in the game with two wickets in the Power-play.

In his next over, Bumrah struck once again with a peach of a delivery that caught Steve Smith in front of the stumps. The impact was outside the stump but the batter did not review the decision, leaving Australia at 47/3 in the seventh over.

Head and Marnus Labuschagne then took Australia to 93/3 in the next 10 overs. Soon the duo completed the 50-run partnership with Head leading the chase. The left-handed batter hit a fifty.

In the 27th over, Head and Labuschagne's partnership went past the 100-run mark as Australia got close to 150. India did review an LBW call against Labuschagne but the batter survived as the DRS ruled it as an umpire's call.

Head then smashed his second century of the World Cup 2023 as the game slipped out of India's hands. This was Head's fifth century in the ODIs. In the end, it was too much to ask for, as Australia comfortably chased the target in the 43 overs, winning the match with 42 balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, Australia's bowling masterclass helped the side restrict India to 240 all out in the allotted 50 overs. Rohit Sharma gave India a blazing start, but Australia made a comeback with regular strikes to put the hosts on the back foot.

Brief scores:

India 240 all out in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 47, Virat Kohli 54, KL Rahul 66; Mitchell Starc 3-55) lost to Australia 241/4 in 43 overs (Travis Head 137, Marnus Labuschagne 58*; Bumrah 2-43) by six wickets.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Travis Head on Sunday became the third Australian batter to score a century in the men's ODI World Cup final, in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup summit clash against India at Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday.

Head joined the elite list of Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting to reach a three-figure score in the World Cup final.

Head reached his century in 94 deliveries, pushing Kuldeep Yadav's uppish delivery to long on.

Ricky Ponting was the first Australian to achieve the milestone after he hit a hundred against India back in 2003 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.

In 2007, the left-handed Gilchrist scored 149 runs off 129 balls against Sri Lanka at Bridgetown in Barbados.

Sir Vivian Richards (138 not out against England in 1979), Aravinda de Silva (107 not out against Australia in 1996), Mahela Jayawardene (103 not out against India in 2011) and Clive Lloyd (102 against Australia in 1975) are the other batters to score a century in a World Cup final.

At the time of filing this report, Australia were 204/3 in 37 overs.

–IANS

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Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has claimed that he was “not invited” by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to watch the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday.

In an interview with ABP News, Kapil Dev claimed he was not invited for the match, when asked will he attend the final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

“I wasn’t invited. They didn’t call me, so I did not go. As simple as that. I wanted the whole 1983 team to be there with me, but I guess because it’s such a big event and people are so busy handling responsibilities, sometimes they forget,” Kapil Dev told the news channel.

Kapil Dev’s Indian team defeated West Indies in the final to lift the ODI World Cup trophy for the first time way back in 1983.

Earlier, a few media reports suggested that the BCCI might felicitate the previous World Cup-winning skippers. It was also reported that 2011 World Cup-winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni might also attend the final at Narendra Modi Stadium.

Asked to bat on losing the toss, India struggled with the bat and were bundled out for a below-par score of 240 in 50 overs as Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul scored half-centuries.

Chasing the target, Australia were 126/3 in the 24th over at the time of filing this report.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Adam Zampa on Sunday equalled the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of most wickets by a spinner in a single edition of the World Cup against India in the final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Zampa finished his campaign with 23 wickets from 11 matches, equalling the record of Muralitharan, who picked up 23 wickets from 10 matches in 2007.

Zampa finished with figures of 10-0-44-1. Brad Hogg (2007) and Shahid Afridi (2011) hold the second spot on the list with 21 wickets each.

Meanwhile, Zampa also became the first overseas bowler to pick up 50 wickets in ODIs on Indian soil. The leggie took 27 matches to reach the landmark. The leg-spinner faced a challenging moment in the tournament, going wicketless in Australia's defeat to India in Chennai.

However, his resilience came to the forefront, and in subsequent games, Zampa scripted a sensational turnaround. Against Sri Lanka, after initially struggling with figures of 1-145, from 21 overs, he staged a remarkable comeback, clinching 20 wickets at an impressive average of 9.66 from 69 overs.

The turning point came in a match against Sri Lanka, where Zampa's four-wicket haul showcased his ability to influence games. This marked the beginning of a streak where he consistently took three wickets or more in the following four World Cup games, setting a historic record as the first man in ODI World Cup history to achieve this feat.

Zampa is the second leading wicket-taker of the ongoing ODI World Cup with 23 wickets.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former England captain Michael Atherton believes India’s bowling line-up gives them the chance to try and defend 240 against Australia in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium here.

Aiming to get their third Men’s ODI World Cup title, India were bowled out for 240 by a disciplined bowling and fielding effort from Australia. Mitchell Starc took 3-55 while Australia captain Pat Cummins picked 2-34.

For India, pushed into batting first on a slow pitch, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul top-scored with 66 but hit only one boundary in facing 107 balls. Talismanic batter Virat Kohli made 54 off 63 balls after India skipper Rohit Sharma struck an attacking 47 off 31 balls.

“India always have a chance of defending anything because they have a great bowling attack. Bumrah is outstanding with the new ball, Shami has been the bowler of the tournament, and they have gun spinners in Jadeja and Kuldeep. But I think Australia are favourites, whether or not the dew comes in," said Atherton in a mid-innings chat with Sky Sports.

He was also appreciative of Cummins making calculative bowling changes and placing accurate fields to stop the run-flow, while expecting Australia to be hard in the chase from the word go.

“Cummins has given himself a great chance of lifting this World Cup. It was a brave decision to put India in on what looked a dry and cracked pitch but his bowlers were on point and the fielding was superb.”

“He took a couple of key wickets, while there was that spell where he gave his bowlers 10 one-over spells to not let India’s batter settle. He got his tactics absolutely right - and Australia are favourites. Head doesn’t know any other way than to attack, Marsh doesn’t know any other way than to attack. Australia will come out blazing."

Eoin Morgan, the 2019 Men’s ODI World Cup-winning captain, feels Cummins may have a role to play with the bat if the situation arises. “Australia executed to perfection and they have set themselves up beautifully. But if conditions stay the same, Cummins might have a role to play with the bat as this will not be an easy chase.”

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Virat Kohli (54) and K.L Rahul (66) hit the fifties before Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins wreaked havoc as Australia restricted India to 240 all out in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 here at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma gave India a blazing start, but Australia made a comeback with regular strikes to put the hosts on the backfoot. Kohli, who became the first Indian to score 50+ runs in both the semifinal and final of the same World Cup, and Rahul did revive India's innings with cautious knocks but Australia kept taking wickets at regular intervals.

Mitchell Starc picked three while Hazlewood and Cummins bagged two wickets each to bowl out India for 240 in the allotted 50 overs. Kuldeep Yadav was the last wicket to fall as he got run out on the final ball of the innings while trying to steal a double.

Put into bat first, India got off to a good start with skipper Rohit Sharma continuing his aggressive style of play. The captain hit a brace of fours in the second over and smashed a six and a four in the fourth to give India a firing start.

Mitchell Starc dismissed Shubman Gill in the fifth over to put a break on the runs scoring but Rohit kept hitting the odd boundaries and stitched a 46-run partnership with Virat Kohli.

India went past 50 in just 6.2 overs as Kohli joined the party and hit three consecutive fours. Both batters looked good in the middle and to take the run-scoring a step further, Rohit mistimed a shot in Glenn Maxwell's over and Travis Head took a blinder running back.

Things got worse for the Men In Blue, as India lost wickets in consecutive overs with Shreyas Iyer going back to the pavilion without troubling Australia. India were reduced to 81/3 in the 11th over.

Kohli and K.L. Rahul then steadied the ship for the hosts and took India's score past the 100-run mark in the 16th over. The duo continued scoring at a brisk rate taking minimal chances to hit boundaries.

However, Cummins had other plans as he dismissed Kohli in the 29th over to put India again on the backfoot. Kohli, who has scored the most runs in the ongoing World Cup, departed soon after scoring his fifty.

Ravindra Jadeja, surprisingly sent in ahead of Suryakumar Yadav, failed to make an impact and was dismissed in the 36th over. As India crossed the 200-run mark in the 41st over, a final push seemed imminent. However, Starc's return to the attack saw the crucial dismissal of Rahul.

With Suryakumar Yadav holding onto one end, India kept losing wickets as both Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were dismissed cheaply.

Suryakumar and Kuldeep just added 12 runs for the ninth wicket before Josh Hazlewood dismissed the batter on a slower bouncer. With Suryakumar's wicket, India's hopes of going past the 250-run mark came to an end as the hosts got reduced to 226/9 in the 48th over.

In the end, India were only able to score 240 runs in the allotted 50 overs with Kuldeep and Mohammed Siraj 10 and 9 respectively.

Brief scores:

India 240/10 in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 47, Virat Kohli 54, KL Rahul 66; Mitchell Starc 3-55) against Australia

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Rohit Sharma on Sunday shattered yet another record set by West Indies legend Chris Gayle, hitting the most sixes against a single opponent in the ODI format, during the final of the ICC Men's cricket World Cup against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium here.

Rohit has struck 86 sixes against Australia in the 50-over format, surpassing Gayle’s record of 85 sixes against England.

Following Rohit and Gayle is former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who hit 63 sixes against Sri Lanka and further behind is former Sri Lanka opener Sanath Jayasuriya, who smashed 53 maximums against Pakistan in ODIs.

This is the second record held by Gayle that Rohit has bettered during this World Cup. A few days back, the India captain had broken the record for most sixes in ODIs, held by Gayle.

On Sunday, asked to bat first after Australia won the toss, Rohit got off to a good start as he stepped down the track and smashed Maxwell for a six to surpass Gayke's record.

Rohit scored 47 runs off 31 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. Rohit has scored 597 runs in 11 matches in the 2023 ODI World Cup, having led India from the front throughout the tournament.

At the time of filing this report, India were 169/4 in 34 overs.

–IANS

hs/bsk/

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday was interrupted by a pitch invader.

The invader, who was wearing a T-shirt that read ‘Stop Bombing Palestine’ on the front and ‘Free Palestine’ on the back, reportedly attempted to hug India batter Virat Kohli after making his way into the field of play.

Kohli, too, looked unhappy with the invader as security immediately came into action and got hold of him.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) India batter Virat Kohli went past former Australia captain Ricky Ponting to go second on the list of most runs in ODI World Cups during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia on Sunday.

Moreover, India skipper Rohit Sharma crossed Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara in the list to go fourth.

While Kohli surpassed Ponting with 1744 runs in 37 innings, Rohit surpassed Sangakkara with 1560 runs in 28 innings.

India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, with 2278 runs in 44 innings, sits top, while Australia’s former captain Ponting is in third with 1743 runs in 42 innings.

Furthermore, Rohit also overtook New Zealand’s Kane Williamson to score the most World Cup runs in a single edition as captain during its Men's ODI World 2023 final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Rohit went past Williamson with his 29th run to surpass his 578-run tally, which came in the 2019 edition. He got out on 47 in the 10th over by Glenn Maxwell to finish his campaign with 597 runs.

At the time of writing this report, India were 97-3 in 15 overs with Kohli (32) and Kl Rahul (8) batting.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former left-arm wrist spin bowler Brad Hogg believes talismanic India batter Virat Kohli will score big in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final, but added that Australia would go on to win the title.

Hosts India have won all 10 games in the tournament so far as they aim to clinch their third Men’s ODI World Cup title and second on home soil after the 2011 triumph, and break their ten-year drought of not winning a global title. Kohli is the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 711 runs in ten innings.

“I think the Australian bowling line-up has got the goods to unsettle the Indian batting line-up. I think Virat Kohli is going to have a day out, he’s going to make another big score. He’s going to bat through this innings and try and stabilize this Indian batting order.”

“The likes of Rohit Sharma and (Shubman) Gill coming upfront and trying to be aggressive against the likes of (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc with the new ball is going to be an interesting contest,” said Hogg on JioCinema’s daily show ‘#AAKASHVANI’.

Australia, who are on an eight-match unbeaten streak, are eyeing an unprecedented sixth World Cup crown and are now playing their eighth final. Australia also beat India in the World Test Championship final earlier this year in June at The Oval in London. Sunday's meeting will be the eighth between India and Australia in ODIs this year.

“When you’ve got Starc bowling with a good height and good pace and swinging the ball into the right-handers, he can get Rohit Sharma and Gill early. But, if these two bat well and get India off to a good start, (Shreyas) Iyer comes up against (Adam) Zampa. This is another interesting contest that we are looking at.”

“But, I think Zampa may have a day out and get the big wicket of Iyer. So for me, Australia are going to win the game with Starc and Hazlewood getting on top of Rohit and Gill early and Zampa taking the wicket of Iyer. Australia are going to take another World Cup in the 50-over format,” added Hogg.

India had met Australia in what was the tournament opener for both teams at Chennai on October 8, where Pat Cummins' side were bowled out for 199, before a stunning 165-run partnership off 215 balls between KL Rahul (97 not out) and Virat Kohli (85) carried India to a memorable six-wicket win after being 2/3 in two overs.

Former India captain Anjum Chopra had a different take, saying India look strong to win the title. “I think India are going to win the final. If we compare the bowling line-ups of both teams then I feel India’s is better. If (Mohammed) Shami doesn’t get you, (Ravindra) Jadeja will. If (Jasprit) Bumrah does not get you, Kuldeep (Yadav) will.”

“When it comes to batting, it will be important for Mitchell Marsh and David Warner to help them get a good start in the powerplay. Steve Smith and Travis Head are contributors. Glenn Maxwell can give the match a different direction but only on his day. So head-to-head, India looks stronger.”

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Australia won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the final of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 here at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Both India and Australia have opted to go in with no changes in the sides that played their respective last semifinal matches against New Zealand and South Africa, respectively.

India captain Rohit Sharma said the team needs to stay nice and calm during the game if they want to go over the line in today’s final.

"The biggest occasion in the cricketing event. We have to stay nice and calm. It's a dream come true to be captaining the team in the final. I know what lies in front of us. We need to play well and get the result. You got to make the right decisions on the field. That's something we've done consistently in the last 10 games. We are playing the same team," said Rohit during the toss.

Australia skipper Pat Cummins said dew will play a role in today's final against India.

"We are gonna have a bowl first. Looks like a dry wicket. Dew is a factor. It gets better to bat on. Tough start to the tournament, haven't really put a foot wrong ever since. It's all set up perfectly. We've played these guys a lot," said Cummins.

In the ongoing ODI World Cup, the Rohit Sharma-led side defeated Australia in the league when the two teams met each other last month in Chennai. Moreover, Team India has had an unbeaten run, winning all 10 games en route to the final against Australia.

Playing XIs:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd Siraj.

Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) There are a host of records and milestones set to be broken during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final at the Narendra Modi stadium on Sunday, as per ICC.

INDIA

• If India do prevail and add another trophy to the World Cup titles they won in 1983 and 2011 they will become the first nation in the history of the Men's Cricket World Cup to have won the tournament twice on home soil after they famously defeated Sri Lanka in Mumbai 12 years ago.

• Virat Kohli (711) can extend his final figure having broken the record for the most runs at a single men's Cricket World Cup, after his 50th ODI century against New Zealand in semi-final one.

• Rohit Sharma already holds the record for the most centuries in Men's Cricket World Cup history (seven) and the India skipper gets the chance to move even further clear in this category if he can reach triple figures against the Aussies.

• Rohit has scored 550 runs at this tournament and can break his own personal record for most runs in a single edition of the Men's Cricket World Cup by scoring another 99 against Australia to surpass the 648 runs he managed in 2019.

• Mohammed Shami has taken a total of 54 wickets at three different Men's Cricket World Cups and three scalps against Australia will see him go past Pakistan great Wasim Akram (55) and Sri Lanka quick Lasith Malinga (56) and become the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the history of the event.

• Shreyas Iyer can join an illustrious group of Indian greats made up of Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli by scoring 24 runs in the final and becoming just the fourth batter from his country to have scored more than 550 runs at a single edition of the Men's Cricket World Cup.

• KL Rahul can become the eighth highest run-scorer for India in the history of the Men's Cricket World Cup and surpass the great MS Dhoni (780 runs) by scoring 34 runs against Australia.

AUSTRALIA

• If Australia win yet another World Cup trophy - having previously tasted success in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015 - they will have won six World Cup titles, which is easily the most of any country.

• Pat Cummins has a total of 32 wickets in Men's Cricket World Cups and four more scalps against India will see the Australia captain surpass fellow quick Brett Lee (35) and become the third-highest wicket-taker for Australia in the history of the tournament.

• Adam Zampa is Australia's leading wicket-taker at this year's tournament with 22 scalps and a five-wicket haul against India will see the spinner equal Mitchell Starc (27 in 2019) for the most wickets by any bowler in a single edition of the Men's Cricket World Cup.

• David Warner has scored six centuries in the history of the Men's Cricket World Cup and could draw level with India captain Rohit Sharma (seven) for most centuries ever at the event by reaching three figures in the final.

• Warner could also become just the sixth Men's player from Australia to achieve the milestone of 7000 ODI runs if he can score 75 or more in the final.

• If Glenn Maxwell can score 101 in the final he will become just the seventh Australian player to have scored more than 1000 runs in the history of the Men's Cricket World Cup.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) An undefeated India will aim to end a decade-old drought for a global title when it takes the field for the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup final against a mighty Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday afternoon.

Led admirably by skipper Rohit Sharma and with every player in top form, India have notched up 10 consecutive wins in the tournament so far as they seek a third Men’s ODI World Cup trophy after winning 1983 and 2011 editions.

In front of nearly one lakh fans, India will be up against a five-time championship winning Australia side, who have won eight matches in a row till now and will be making their eighth Men’s ODI World Cup final appearance.

Surendra Bhave, who was a member of the senior men’s selection committee that picked the 2011 World Cup winning India squad, speaks exclusively to IANS about the marquee title clash, the areas in the match which could prove to be decisive, the excellent form of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and more.

Excerpts:

Q. How do you analyse this World Cup between India, who have won all ten games on the trot and Australia, who are on an eight-match winning streak?

A. That is the statistical difference between the two teams. Although Australia struggled in first two matches, they picked it up very well. India is extremely confident with their ten-match winning streak. It will be a good match and what comes to mind is, both teams will try to be at their best and try to bring their A-game to the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Although people are marking out some match-ups like Kohli v Zampa and Jadeja v Smith, I think it’s a battle between how India faces Australian fast-bowling and how Australia faces Indian spin plus fast-bowling. There also, India is at an advantage as this pitch tends to get little slower and I believe it to be a black soil pitch. So, India have very strong chances of winning their third World Cup. On many counts, they have looked a better team without a shadow of doubt.

Q. What are the areas where you think the final could be won or lost?

A. I personally believe first 10-15 overs of both innings are going to be extremely crucial. With the kind of fast-bowling we have, India will try to break through their batting order and they will also do the same because we were actually two for three (against Australia in Chennai), and then Virat Kohli plus KL Rahul played extremely well to take us out of trouble. India have shown inclination to go ultra-aggressive in first power-play with the bat.

It’s a delicate balance and I think India has to be just a little bit calculated there. Middle-overs will be dominated by them, whether they are batting or bowling. Why I say that is because when our medium-pacers come for second surprise spells, as well as when Jadeja and Kuldeep are in action, India have shown that they can control the middle-overs and have played extremely well in this phase. I personally believe first 15 overs in both innings will have a bearing on this match.

Q. Rohit Sharma has been giving explosive starts with the bat. How do you see his impact on this Indian team?

A. He’s setting up the momentum, isn’t he? That’s the thing as he’s going very aggressive against some of the best fast-bowlers in the world and has been very successful throughout this tournament. He’s setting up the pace and also making the two new balls from both ends little older or semi-new in that period.

His aggressive play has worked well for India on many counts and the ball stops swinging when Rohit Sharma starts attacking. That’s also one huge advantage of batting like that. But if Rohit Sharma gets a start like that again, I would like to see him nail the entire 50 overs and get a 150 for himself.

Q. Virat Kohli has been in astonishing form in the tournament and is leading the run charts. How do you see his blazing form being the foundation for India’s success so far?

A. Without a shadow of doubt, he’s been a glue of the batting order in this World Cup. Great players like Virat Kohli do find an extra gear when it comes to World Cup cricket. We are extremely fortunate to see this kind of form from Virat Kohli because from that number three position, he’s almost controlling the entire match.

If you number three is in such a great form, then you have insurance against little bit of dodgy start, as well as of getting the job done from numbers six, seven and eight. It’s working wonders for India because he’s the common denominator in most of the good partnerships the team has had in this World Cup.

There’s an ability in great players that after achieving so much, they can still find that extra bit of motivation to go that extra mile and Virat Kohli is certainly doing that.

Q. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been in fantastic form for the middle-order. What is your opinion on their good showings with the bat in this World Cup?

A. It’s the camaraderie in the team. Like, what happens is, one good performance by a quality player rubs on to the others, who then start to think that when my time comes, I have to put in the performance to be counted. This is what is exactly happening with this Indian team, which is the sign of an outstanding, well-groomed and well-oiled side. KL Rahul’s batting has been superb; Shreyas Iyer’s batting has been fantastic.

He’s a long hitter of the ball and if he stays on the pitch for 60-80 deliveries, he can do some damage to the opposition. I really appreciate one part of KL Rahul’s game – his wicket-keeping. How good he’s been with his gloves, absolutely outstanding with DRS calls. For a guy who doesn’t regularly keep wickets, his performances have been out of this world. I pray to God that he gets one more good game and helps India to achieve third World Cup trophy.

Q. Mohammed Shami has been on top of the tournament bowling charts and has been leading the envious bowling line-up. How crucial does his spell become ahead of the final?

A. There are so many players playing outstanding cricket at the same point of time. That is the reason why India is doing so well and beating teams comfortably with huge margins, which has also been a feature. Shami, with his seam position and everyone knowing what he can do with the ball, has been absolutely amazing and has shown great control.

He’s doing the talking with the ball and every time I talk about Shami, what goes through my mind is the eight deliveries he bowled to Ben Stokes to completely destroy him mentally. It was an unreal spell, ending with him being cleaned up.

The control he has on swing and the constant carry to the wicket-keeper with consistent lines that even if he pitches it full, the batters will find it tough to hit him for four. He bowls a pretty full length for a fast-bowler who’s not very tall – that underlines how good Shami has been in this World Cup.

Q. A word on the support staff, led by head coach Rahul Dravid, for keeping the team focused and charting out the strategies for this World Cup campaign.

A. There are so many players playing one tournament and are in form of their life. That’s what India wanted and talking of peak performance, there’s been no better example than this World Cup so far. India have been superb as a unit. Due credit should go to the support staff – chief coach, batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach - of building and servicing the team in such a smooth manner.

They have done an outstanding job with this team. You can’t play a tournament like that just on flair and talent; you need sound planning. With the way the team has been playing, the evidence is there that the planning has been very sound; the team is in a very relaxed state of mind.

Generally speaking, their headspace has been very outstanding so far and they have been cool, calm, collected with their performances. I am sure the support staff have done a great job with this team. As a coach, I understand that a lot of good inputs have gone into this team.

One more thing you are assured of with Rahul Dravid is sensible and clear-cut communication with players. That’s also pretty evident in his top-class communication skills. He thinks and communicates in a certain manner which is appreciated by players I am sure and that’s why the team is clicking as it is now.

It is actually a gift as in modern-day cricket, quality communication is a big plus. Knowing Dravid very well, I am sure that his communication with the team must be top-class and that’s why we are seeing results like this.

Q. If India manage to get the trophy in Ahmedabad on Sunday, what would this victory mean to this team and country overall?

A. 1983 and 2011 wins were of different generations. Even if you have two members from the 2011 squad out of this team, this World Cup will also belong to this generation – the likes of Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, with Rohit playing a big role as a captain.

Three different generations, three different styles of winning cricket matches and three outstanding stories of success. The first World Cup victory in England was outstanding and a trend-setter.

2011 was a superb campaign under Gary Kirsten, and lost only one match to South Africa in Nagpur. I was fortunate to be one of the selectors that time. Every Indian would be hoping and praying that the final is played well and the team wins their third World Cup.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Stylish captain Rohit Sharma on Saturday lavished praise on pacer Mohammed Shami and other Indian bowlers for their stunning performance in the ongoing World Cup.

Despite missing out on playing India’s first four matches of the 2023 edition, Shami has been hugely impactful with his crucial spells. He outclassed the batters with straight seam and impeccable lengths to be the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 23 scalps.

Asked about Shami missing out on the initial matches for India, Rohit said, “It was tough for Shami to not play the initial part of the World Cup. But he was there for the team to help Siraj and Bumrah.”

“That shows the quality of him being the team man he is. We had a chat with him about why he was missing out. But he kept working hard and that shows the kind of mental space he was in before the tournament. It says a lot about him. Once the opportunity opened up for him, he was right there. We can see with his performances."

"The bowlers have done a great job for us in this tournament. Our pacers and spinners have been great. When we were defending as well, they were great. Bumrah, Shami, Siraj have been excellent. The same for the spinners as well when we wanted to take wickets in the middle overs," said Rohit.

Enquiring what would be the playing XI on Sunday against Australia in the final, Rohit maintained tight-lipped.

"We haven't decided on the XI. We will assess the wicket and decide on it.”

Further talking about the opposition, the India captain said, “Australia have played good cricket and both the teams deserve to be in the finals. We know what Australia can do. They are a very complete side. We want to focus on what we want to do. We don't want to worry about what kind of form they are in, rather focus on our cricket and plans."

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, Nov 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) On the eve of the 2023 ICC Men's ODI World Cup grand finale, a calm and composed India skipper Rohit Sharma on Saturday admitted that it is indeed the biggest moment of his career and added that the Men in Blue now need to make the final push at the Narendra Modi stadium when his side takes on Australia, here on Sunday.

"Without a doubt, this is a huge occasion. This is the biggest moment in our careers and it is important to stay calm and composed because that is where you can execute your plans better. I have grown up watching 50-over World Cups, so for me, it'll be the biggest occasion.

"We know what the outside environment is, the expectations and pressure. It's important to stick to our game and this has been happening for a long time. We have worked on maintaining the calmness in the dressing room," Rohit told media persons here.

Asked about Rahul Dravid’s role as a chief coach, the India captain said, "Rahul Dravid's role has been absolutely massive, especially in terms of giving role clarity to players. It's quite contrasting in how he played his cricket and how I play my cricket and to agree on certain things, to give us that liberty, that says a lot about him. What he has done for Indian cricket is massive and he also wants to be part of this occasion.”

Source: IANS

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