Australia win ICC World Cup 2023

Australia defeated India by six wickets to win its sixth ICC ODI World Cup title at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad of Gujarat on Sunday.

Breaking the hearts of over 1.4 billion Indians, Australia pulled off an upset by beating hosts and undefeated tournament favourites India .

The win sealed a sixth World Cup trophy for the Australians who cemented their status as the most dominant team the sport has ever seen.  This was the first time India hosted the tournament entirely by itself.

Opening batsman Head scored 137 off just 120 balls, including 15 fours and four sixes, before being dismissed with Australia just two runs shy of victory.

His innings was just the seventh hundred in a World Cup final and third by an Australia batsman.

Head also shared a fourth-wicket stand of 192 with Marnus Labuschagne (58 not out) as Australia chased down a modest target of 241 with seven overs to spare.

The match was perhaps lost in the first innings when Indian squandered the early advantage and then played some poor cricket. Put into bat first by Australian captain Pat Cummins, India were off the blocks yet again with Rohit carting the bowlers for fun.

Shubman Gill, however, perished while playing a nothing shot off Mitchell Starc. After Rohit's dismissal in the 11th over, India only managed to hit four boundaries, demonstrating the squeeze applied by the Australian bowlers.
Although Virat Kohli smashed a fifth half-century on the trot, India never looked out of trouble and the innings struggled to have any momentum. KL Rahul contributed from the other end but fell against the reverse swing of Starc.

The calm but experienced Australian side sailed to a comfortable win despite losing three early wickets in their run chase.

Chasing a sub-par total of 241, Australia were off to a shaky start as India knocked back three wickets in the first powerplay. Opener David Warner, who was dropped in the first over as the ball went between Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill in the slip cordon, could not capitalise and fell prey to Mohammed Shami.

Skipper Rohit Sharma brought Shami to share the opening ball duties, despite the latter having bowled as a first-change bowler in every match he had played. Despite the wicket, Shami had little control over the new ball as he bowled wayward lines, making the job difficult for wicketkeeper KL Rahul.

On the other end, Jasprit Bumrah struck in consecutive overs, sending Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith back to the pavilion. Smith was particularly unlucky as replays showed that the ball impact was outside the line when he was adjudged LBW.

With the game finely poised at 47/3, India took the pedal off the game, allowing Head and Labuschange to bat themselves into form. Head took the lead in punishing poor balls from the Indians but it was the lack of urgency from Rohit that surprised most.

While pacers provided the early breakthroughs, the spinners failed to have an impact. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja could not extract any purchase from the surface and the Australian batters manoeuvred them around with utmost ease.

India were outsmarted and outplayed in all departments of the game as the new generation of Indian fans, relieved the memories of the 2003 World Cup humiliation that haunts every fan that grew up during the time.

The defeat means India's quest for an ICC trophy continues, having last won the Champions Trophy in 2013.