Australia clinched their sixth men's ODI World Cup title in a thrilling showdown against hosts India at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. Travis Head's magnificent century, scoring 137 runs, played a pivotal role in the victory, securing Australia's status as the only nation with six ODI World Cup titles—previous triumphs in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015.
The final witnessed an impressive display of bowling by Australia, with Mitchell Starc leading the charge by claiming three crucial wickets (3-55). Pat Cummins (2-34) and Josh Hazlewood (2-60) provided valuable support, restricting India to a total of 240 runs in 50 overs.
Marnus Labuschagne's steady knock of 58 runs in 110 balls complemented Head's aggressive batting, forming a formidable 192-run partnership for the fourth wicket. This partnership extinguished any hopes of an Indian comeback. Head's century was particularly noteworthy, making him only the second player to achieve this feat in a World Cup final.
Australia's innings had a fiery start, amassing 15 runs in the opening over. However, Mohammad Shami's early removal of David Warner in the second over disrupted the momentum. Mitchell Marsh countered with a quick six and a four, propelling Australia past the 40-run mark within four overs. The crowd witnessed another eruption when Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Marsh in the fifth over, leaving Australia at 41/2. Bumrah continued his impactful bowling, claiming Steve Smith in the seventh over, reducing Australia to 47/3.
The turning point for Australia came with the Head-Labuschagne partnership, guiding the team from 47/3 to 93/3 in the next 10 overs. Despite India's attempt to challenge Labuschagne's LBW decision, the batter survived, benefitting from the umpire's call. As the game slipped away from India's grasp, Australia comfortably reached the target in the 43rd over with 42 balls to spare, securing a convincing victory.
In the earlier part of the day, Australia's bowlers showcased their prowess, restricting India to 240 runs in 50 overs. Rohit Sharma provided a fiery start, but Australia made a comeback with regular wickets. Starc's early dismissal of Shubman Gill set the tone, and despite Rohit's aggressive play, Glenn Maxwell's over saw his mistimed shot caught brilliantly by Travis Head.
India faced setbacks as Shreyas Iyer departed early, reducing them to 81/3 in the 11th over. Kohli and K.L Rahul steadied the ship, taking the score past 100 in the 16th over. However, Cummins dismissed Kohli in the 29th over, triggering a collapse. Starc's return saw the crucial dismissal of Rahul, and India struggled to cross the 200-run mark.
Suryakumar Yadav fought valiantly, but with wickets falling quickly, India could only manage 240 runs in 50 overs. Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj added a handful of runs in the end, but Australia's bowling masterclass ensured a comprehensive victory.
Australia's triumph in the ODI World Cup once again underscores their cricketing dominance, with Head's heroic century and the team's collective efforts etching their name in history.
Brief scores:
India 240 all out in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 47, Virat Kohli 54, KL Rahul 66; Mitchell Starc 3-55)
Australia 241/4 in 43 overs (Travis Head 137, Marnus Labuschagne 58*; Bumrah 2-43)
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