India and Indians all over the world will have their eyes set on Ahmedabad on Sunday as Rohit Sharma and his team face-off against Australia in the ICC World Cup 2023 final, hoping to avenge the 2003 heartbreak when the Men in Blue last faced a team from Down Under in a World Cup final.
Team India will look to add a third trophy to their cabinet after 1983 and 2011, while five-time champions Australia seek to extend their dominance at the showpiece ODI tournament.
IND VS AUS LIVE Score World Cup 2023 Final Blog
India are the only team to remain unbeaten so far in the tournament and a win on Sunday would not only make them champions, but also equal Australia’s all-time record of going 11 World Cup matches without a loss.
This World Cup has been about the fearless cricket Rohit Sharma has played, big runs Virat Kohli and other batsmen have scored and the most fearsome bowling attack India has ever produced. While Kohli is top of the run-scoring chart, Mohammed Shami has been highest wicket taker in the tournament.
Australia, who are no pushovers and known for upping their game in crucial matches, will look to “silence the 1.3 lakh spectators” at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Their captain Pat Cummins on Saturday said, “…there’s going to be 130,000 fans here supporting India. So it’s going to be awesome. They’ve been playing really well, undefeated in this tournament. But we know at our best we can give them a good shake. We’ve played them quite a lot over the last couple of years with success, so it’s all building up for a nice final.”
Rohit Sharma called it a “huge occasion”, something the team has been preparing for. “This is the biggest moment in our careers and it is important to stay calm and composed because that is where you can execute your plans better. You don’t get to play World Cup finals daily. I have grown up watching 50-over World Cups so for me it’ll be the biggest occasion.”
The two sides have a previous knockout history — they have met on two occasions. Australia beat India in the 2015 World Cup semifinal at Sydney, enroute to its fifth title. In 2011, Yuvraj Singh’s heroic half-century allowed the eventual championship-winning home side to beat Australia in the quarterfinals at Ahmedabad.
The 2003 final in Johannesburg was the last time the teams met in a championship match. Skipper Ricky Ponting smashed an unbeaten 140 off 121 balls as Australia won by 125 runs, amassing 359-2 before India surrendered meekly with 234-9.
With the cricket expected to be a high-intensity battle on Sunday, the event in itself is going to be a spectacle for the audience. The Indian Air Force’s renowned Surya Kiran aerobatics team is scheduled to put up an air show ahead of the game.
More than 6,000 security personnel will be deployed in Ahmedabad city, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Deputy PM Richard Marles will be among the key personalities who are expected to attend.
Other dignitaries who are expected to attend the final include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, Minister for Home Affairs and Law of Singapore K. Shanmugam, Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma.
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