Team India suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of six-time champions Australia in the final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Australia bundled out India for 240 runs, before coasting to victory with 6 wickets and 42 deliveries to spare thanks to a Travis Head ton.
Follow all the action from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 including the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 results, and ICC Cricket World Cup points table. Players are vying to top the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts.
The host nation and the players were overcome by emotion following the defeat against the Australians in the final as skipper Rohit, star batsman Kohli and pacer Siraj were visibly distraught.
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Siraj & entire team crying they dint deserve this man#CWC23 #CWC23Final #INDvAUSpic.twitter.com/avux5bct6H
— ᴀꜱɪᴍ ʀɪᴀᴢ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ (@AsimRiazworld) November 19, 2023
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli were beyond consolable as well following the devastating loss in the summit clash.
Very Sad Day for every Indian..Nothing is more painful than watching tears in the eyesbof our Captain #RohithSharma #ViratKohli #INDvsAUS #Worlds2023 Karma #Panauti #CWC23Final #NewJeans pic.twitter.com/QdFz0jeA91— Ankit Khanna (@ankit_khanna) November 19, 2023
Virat Kohli had an All-time great World Cup, scoring 765 runs including fifty in the final & hundred in Semis.– He did everything but sadly the Trophy is still far away, hopefully in 2027. pic.twitter.com/buxseOROwQ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 19, 2023
Behind Virat Kohli till infinity and beyond pic.twitter.com/nikcoQsE0K— Kevin (@imkevin149) November 19, 2023
Australia won the toss and put India to bat first in the summit clash as the home team’s skipper Rohit Sharma gave the men in blue a good start, as he has done so often in the campaign. But Australia made early inroads through Mitchell Starc dismissing Shubman Gill for just 4 runs.
Rohit went for 47 off 31 as Glenn Maxwell scalped the skipper, before Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal for 4 runs at the hands of Pat Cummins.
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul steadied the ship for the men in blue and made half-centuries each as they put up 54 and 66 runs respectively.
However, there were no big scorers for India after that as the hosts were wrapped up for 240 runs in 50 overs.
The partisan home crowd was given hope early on in the second innings as star bowler Mohammed Shami dismissed the dangerous David Warner for 7 runs. Jasprit Bumrah followed it up with quick dismissals of Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith for 15 runs and 4 runs respectively.
However, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne rebuilt the Australia chase. Head proved to be the match-winner with his 137 runs knock, while Labuschagne saw the game out with his unbeaten 58 runs.
Australia chased down the target in 43 overs to get their hands on a record-extending sixth ODI World Cup title.