Image Credit- PTI
The Rohit Sharma-led Team India was unable to
duplicate their dominant display throughout the World Cup campaign when it
meant most. In the World Cup final, Australia led by Pat Cummins’ side defeated
them by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday,
setting a new record for the most World Cup titles won by a team.
After Cummins won the toss and invited India to bat,
the match began. Rohit Sharma was at the top once more, but Australia’s pace
batteries put on a masterful display and restricted India to 240 in 50 overs.
The hitters found it difficult to deal with the slow ball, which made Team
India concentrate more on rotating strikes than big hits.
Australia started the small run chase slowly, falling
to 47/3 in 7 overs. But Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head’s hard-hitting
performance silenced the crowded arena and helped Australia win its sixth World
Cup. While Labuschagne returned undefeated on 58(110), Head (137) smashed a
tonne, becoming the third Australian to do so in a World Cup final, after Ricky
Ponting and Adam Gilchrist. The two combined to score 192 runs for the fourth
wicket.
Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, who was on the
commentary panel, expressed similar opinions. After the game, Gavaskar
expressed his sadness to Star Sports, the official broadcaster, but he was also
quite pleased of what the tournament had seen.
“I’m sad. This team played such terrific cricket
for ten 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 sometimes the
final doesn’t go your way. But this team has been sensational in all aspects
for ten matches.
“This time a couple of things that could have gone
their way, which didn’t happen, so that’s fine. That is how luck can go against
you. But like I said there’s no shame in losing to a better team. A team that
was better on the day, just like India was better on the day of the first
match. There’s no shame in losing to the five-time champions. They know how to
win the finals. Very proud of all the effort that they’ve done, very proud of
the joy that they have given millions who have been following them,” said
Gavaskar.