The 2023 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup is all set to conclude on Sunday with the final clash between the Indian cricket team and the Australian cricket team. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will be playing host to the fascinating game of cricket.
Men in Blue will be eager to avenge their loss in the final of the World Test Championship from Australia. The Indian team has been surreal in the World Cup, having won all nine games during the league stage, followed by a smashing victory in the semi-final clash. Rohit Sharma’s men will be at an advantage considering the home conditions and the crowd support.
Moreover, both the Indian batters and bowlers have been in stunning form in the tournament. Mohammed Shami is likely to be the frontrunner with the ball while the likes of Rohit and Virat Kohli will be the batters to watch out for.
Meanwhile, the Australian cricket team is not far behind the Indian side as they have also recorded some stunning wins in the tournament to make a place in the final clash. The team got off to a disappointing start, losing its first two games. However, they were quick to make a comeback and have won their last eight matches.
The Australian team also has many match-winners in their team. David Warner will likely be the top run-scorer while the skipper Pat Cummins can step in to handle the game with the ball.
What has happened so far?
The Indian team made a place in the final owing to a thrilling win against the New Zealand side in the semi-final match. It was a batting riot as India smacked 397 runs in the allotted 50 overs in the first innings.
Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer were the leading men for the side, with a century each to their name. In response, the New Zealand team also put up a good run chase, but they fell against the decorated Indian bowling lineup and the hosts scored a win by 70 runs.
As far as the Australian cricket team is concerned, they were up against the South African side. The Kangaroos looked excellent with the ball as they restricted the Proteas to a score of 212 runs in the allotted 50 overs.
Chasing the score, the Australians scored a win in 47.2 overs, with Travis Head playing a match-winning knock for his team.
Head to Head Record
India and Australia have played a total of 150 One Day International games against each other in the history of the gentlemen’s game.
Australia enjoys a good lead against India especially in the 50-over format with 83 victories. India has won a total of 57 matches while a total of 10 games ended workout a result.
Key Players
Rohit Sharma (India): Rohit Sharma is not the top run-scorer for India and has often failed to prolong his stay in the middle, yet he has emerged as the most important player for the Indian cricket team in the World Cup 2023.
The skipper has set an example for his team by smacking the opposition bowlers all over the ball right from the first ball of the match. Rohit has essayed the role of a power-hitter for the hosts and has ensured a good start for the team in almost all the games.
Rohit Sharma is the second-highest run-getter for India in the tournament
He is the second-highest run-getter for the Indian cricket team in the World Cup after Virat Kohli with 550 runs to his name in ten matches at an average of 55. The skipper showed his batting mettle in the semi-final against New Zealand as he hit 47 runs off just 29 balls. The batter is expected to continue the momentum in the final as well.
Glenn Maxwell (Australia): Following his exploits in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Glenn Maxwell has successfully established himself as a match-winner for the Australian cricket team. The spin all-rounder is one of the top run-scorers for his team with 398 runs in eight matches at an average of over 66.
His best performance in the tournament came in one of the league games against Afghanistan when he smacked a whopping 201 runs to help Australia chase 292 runs in the allotted 50 overs.
Maxwell failed to make an impact with the bat in hand in the semi-final match against South Africa as he was dismissed at a score of only one run. However, the all-rounder once again bowled his full quota of overs and has bowled more than 60 overs in the ongoing tournament.
Predicted XIs
India: Rohit Sharma ©, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins ©, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Prediction
A fierce battle of cricket awaits fans all across the globe as India and Australia will go against each other in the final of the 2023 edition of the ICC ODI World Cup.
India and Australia have been undoubtedly two of the best teams in the tournament and both the sides will be buzzing with confidence following thrilling wins in their respective semi-final matches.
Though both teams have done a fine job in the event, India has more chances of winning considering the home playing conditions. Moreover, the team has shown unreal consistency in the ODI World Cup.