ODI World Cup 2023: Australia wins the World Cup for the sixth time

Australia won the finals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The Pat Cummins-led side won the match by 6 wickets to lift the World Cup for the sixth time. Here is a recap of the second innings.

India took 3 wickets in the powerplay

India was right on the money from the first ball. David Warner facing the first ball edged it between Virat Kohli at first slip and Shubman Gill at second slip off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling. Head smashed two more fours in the over as the first over went for 15 runs. In a surprising move, Rohit Sharma handed the second new ball to Mohammed Shami instead of Mohammed Siraj. Shami once again took a wicket in his first over and dismissed Warner with just his second ball of the match. Shami found it hard to control the new ball and even gave five runs off wides. Mitchell Marsh in the fourth over smashed the first six of the innings. 

Bumrah just like he did at Chepauk dismissed Marsh in the fifth over. The fifth over went for a wicket-maiden. In his following over, Bumrah dismissed Australia’s former captain, Steven Smith. Smith was given out via LBW but did not review the call. The ball-tracking showed the impact to be outside off and a review would have saved the Australian number four. Shami too bowled a maiden eighth over. The following over had a boundary off byes. The last over of the powerplay went for two fours as Australia ended with 60 runs on the board for the loss of three wickets.

Australia take control of the chase

Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav came into the attack right after the powerplay. The spinners got some held off the surface but were unable to do any damage to the Australian team. Jadeja and Kuldeep conceded 18 runs in five overs (11-15). Head in order to break some shackles smashed Kuldeep for a six in the 16th over. Mohammed Siraj came into the attack in the 17th over. Kuldeep bowled a quiet two-run over in the 18th over. Siraj was smashed for a four in the 21st over. Head brought up his half-century in the 22nd over. Jadeja replaced Siraj after a three-over spell. Shami replaced Kuldeep from the opposite end and was hit for a four on his first ball. 

Jadeja and Shami bowled in tandem and continued to leak runs as Head and Labuschagne found it easy to bat. Head and Labuschagne scored 21 runs in three overs (25-27). Bumrah came back into the attack in the 28th over and was smashed for three fours in his first over. In the same over, Bumrah almost trapped Head in front of the stumps but the umpire’s call saved Head. Kuldeep replaced Bumrah in the 32nd over. Head smashed Kuldeep for two consecutive fours in the 34th over and moved into the 90s. Head completed his century in the same over in just 95 balls hitting 14 fours and one six. He smashed a six on the first ball of the following over.

Siraj replaced Jadeja who had bowled out his 10 overs. Siraj’s first over of the spell went for nine runs as he was hit for a six by Head. Head continued his dominance and smashed yet another six in the following over off Kuldeep’s bowling. Labuschagne brought up his fifty with a four in the 40th over in 99 balls. Siraj dismissed Head in the 43rd over. Head scored 137 runs in 120 balls hitting 15 fours and four sixes.