India’s got a huge fan base for the game of cricket, where cricket lovers are seen leaving no stone unturned in support of their favourite player or team. The recently concluded Cricket World Cup final was watched with much anticipation by the supporters of Team India, which had won each match played in this series. But the happiness was short lived as India could not claim the title, which was won by the Aussies for a record-breaking sixth time.
India’s cricket team faced a setback in their pursuit of World Cup triumph as Rohit Sharma and his teammates were dismissed for 240 runs. Australia went on to secure a six-wicket victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Veteran player Sunil Gavaskar expressed sadness for the team’s loss in the ultimate match. However, during an interview with Star Sports, he also expressed profound pride in the overall performance of the Men in Blue.
“I’m sad. This team played such terrific cricket for 10 games but just wasn’t able to take that one step that could have got them the trophy. But with that said I think all of us have to be mighty proud of them. This team has played superb cricket and yes it happens that sometimes the final doesn’t go your way. But, this team has been sensational in all aspects for 10 matches,” Gavaskar said.
All were left teary eyed as the game came to an end with it seemingly being a cake walk for the Australian team.
Starting their innings, India made a brisk beginning, reaching 80/2 in the initial 10 overs before facing a resurgence from the Australian bowling and fielding unit. The Indian team ultimately secured a total of 240 runs, primarily credited to the contributions of Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66).
In response, Australia found themselves in a precarious situation at 47/3 within the powerplay. However, a remarkable partnership between Travis Head (137) and Marnus Labuschagne (58*) propelled them to within 2 runs of victory. Glenn Maxwell then delivered the winning runs, securing their sixth World Cup title.
Let’s examine the pivotal moments that contributed to India’s loss in the final.
Unfavourable Conditions
The pitch for the final in Ahmedabad exhibited a slightly slower and drier nature than anticipated, emerging as a pivotal factor. India struggled to adjust, particularly in the second innings when the pitch conditions underwent a change, resulting in a failure to take advantage of the slower pitch.
Rohit Sharma mentioned that, regardless of the toss outcome, he would have opted to bat first. However, it also appeared that India lacked a specific strategy for adapting to the changing conditions of the pitch in the second innings, where it flattened out and didn’t exhibit the same slowness observed in the initial innings.
The Great Australian Strategy
The Australian team exhibited impeccable planning and execution. They showcased outstanding fielding skills and maintained composure despite India’s initial momentum. Captain Pat Cummins made some crucial bowling changes that effectively restrained the Indian batters. The strategic use of part-time bowlers when India aimed to consolidate was a brilliant tactical move, providing added flexibility towards the latter stages of the innings. The strategic use of part-time bowlers when India aimed to consolidate was a brilliant tactical move, providing added flexibility towards the latter stages of the innings.
Well-Planned Middle-Order
Australia’s consistent strategy throughout the World Cup was to adopt an aggressive batting approach from the beginning, and they adhered to this plan till the final showdown.
This approach remained unchanged in the summit clash. Australia managed to accumulate 28 runs in the first two overs, and even during the phase when they were at 47/3, Travis Head’s proactive approach in attacking the bowling made the period of consolidation more comfortable for Marnus Labuschagne. Ultimately, it was Head’s adventurous style that transformed what could have been a challenging chase into a straightforward victory.
Shot Choices and Fielding
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both succumbed to suboptimal shot selection despite making promising starts. The contrast between India’s fielding, marked by extra runs, and Australia’s outstanding fielding intensified the pressure on the Indian team.
But one should always remember that it’s a part of the game that one team shall win while the other will lose. We are proud of our team and its team mates. Let’s not lose our sights on the next world Cup and keep our josh high.
