Cricket News: ODI World Cup Final Twitter Reactions: Australia win 6th title, more heartbreak for India | Reactions to Australia winning 6th title
Incredible. Australia have won their sixth Cricket World Cup title, putting on a clinic to defeat favourites and previously unbeaten India by six wickets at Ahmedabad. Captain Pat Cummins surprised many by choosing to bowl first, but it was a decision that was well and truly vindicated after the team produced a magnificent bowling and fielding display to limit India to 240 on a slow pitch.
Not only did Australia bowl beautifully in the conditions on offer, but the field placements and tactics were a credit to Cummins and the team management. It seemed like every shot India played, there was an Australian fielder there to cut it off. In fact, after Travis Head’s magnificent catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma and turn the match on its head (no pun intended), India hit just five boundaries in a hard-fought slog to reach 240.
From there, it was chaos. Each delivery was an event in the Australian powerplay, with Cummins’ team reduced to 47/3 against the moving ball. Jasprit Bumrah had fire in his eyes, Mohammed Shami was in the wickets once again, and the crowd was at its loudest since the Indian powerplay. It seemed things were set up perfectly for the spinners to take over.
However, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had other ideas, combining for a remarkable 192-run stand to break the hearts of billions. Australia’s call to keep Head in the squad despite his broken hand worked wonders, with the all-rounder winning player of the match in both the semi-final and final. He enjoyed luck in the powerplay, but never looked back as he and the solid Labuschagne silenced the 100,000 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium. It was a true clinic from Head in particular, wowing all with his ambitious and brilliant strokeplay, with excellent support from Labuschagne.
Indeed, Australia peaked at the right time after reaching the top four despite not playing their best cricket. However, on the other side, India seemed to run out of steam when it mattered most. Rohit Sharma’s team, so dominant and brilliant all tournament, saved their worst display for last in yet another missed attempt at an ICC trophy. Their batting never got going after the powerplay, with KL Rahul’s struggle to rotate strike and Cummins’ dismissal of Kohli the key talking points from the middle overs. Then, with the ball and in the field, they seemed lost for ideas, which was a disappointing way to end a campaign that promised so much.
Twitter Reactions to the ODI World Cup Final: Australia wins sixth title
Brilliant Australia:
Yet again, Australia have produced when it mattered in ODI World Cups. Here are some reactions to Australia’s brilliance.
More heartbreak for India
The defeat represented another occasion where India fell short in an ICC knockout match. This one may hurt them the most given they were so dominant in the tournament and were odds on favourites to win the title.
