In the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, the Indian team achieved a remarkable feat, winning 10 matches in a row. However, their winning streak came to an end in the final against Australia, where they lost by 6 wickets.
The decisive match took place on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bowl.
Australia invited India to bat first, and the entire Indian team was dismissed after scoring 240 runs in 50 overs. Notable performances came from KL Rahul, who scored 66 runs, and Virat Kohli, who contributed 54 runs.
In the pursuit of India’s target of 241 runs, Australia displayed exceptional batting skills, led by Travis Head and Labushin, securing victory in 43 overs.
Why India Lost World Cup Final?
Currently, the Indian media has highlighted 5 key moments in the final match that played a role in India not winning.
1. Slow middle overs
After Shubman Gill got out in the fifth over, Rohit Sharma kept playing aggressive shots. He batted with aggression and got out after scoring 47 runs from 31 balls in the 10th over.
When Rohit got out, Team India was doing well with a score of 80/2, but the following batsmen didn’t perform exceptionally.
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul teamed up and scored 67 runs together for the fourth wicket.
Between the 21st and 30th overs, India managed to make just 37 runs and lost one wicket. In total, India only hit 13 fours and 3 sixes throughout the entire innings.
2. Early bowling from Mohammad Siraj
Pitch attackers played a key role in India’s 10 wins at the World Cup, and the bowling teamwork of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj was especially good at bringing the team early wins.
But, during the important day in the last match, Rohit Sharma started the bowling with Bumrah and Mohammad Shami, which was helpful. Australia lost 3 wickets for 47 runs. However, not putting in Siraj right away was a disadvantage for India, and it turned out to be correct.
Siraj performs well when bowling with the new ball.
3. Failed to keep pressure on Australia
India first dismissed Australia for 47/3 while trying to protect a small total. The quick wickets taken by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami boosted India’s chances in the game.
But the team didn’t use the good chance. The Men in Blue couldn’t make it tough for their opponents. Travis Head, who got 137 runs, and Marence Labushin, who got 58 runs, teamed up and made 192 runs together for the fourth wicket. This helped Australia escape trouble and win their sixth World Cup in history.
4. Sending Ravindra Jadeja in place of Surya Kumar Yadav
As the Indian batters had a hard time getting runs on a sluggish pitch, and the team’s total was 148 with three players out, Virat Kohli got out. Kohli was sent back to the pavilion after scoring 54 runs from 63 deliveries.
So, when everyone thought Surya Kumar Yadav would bat with KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja walked in instead.
Also Read: By defeating India, Australia became the world champion of cricket for the sixth time
People expected Jadeja to speed up India’s score, but he only scored 9 runs from 22 balls before going back to the pavilion. He is well-known for powerful hitting.
5. Performance by Shubman Gul
Ahmedabad’s field was not fast, so Shubman Gill had a hard time hitting in the final. On the other side, Captain Rohit Sharma hit the ball hard. However, Gill didn’t start well, getting only 4 runs in 7 balls before leaving the game.
The key to winning the last 10 matches in the tournament was the Indian openers providing a strong beginning for the team.
The bowlers from Australia understood the playing conditions and cleverly used slower deliveries to stop the Indian batters from making big hits.