17 November,2023 10:39 AM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondent
Pat Cummins, Rohit Sharma (Pic: AFP)
IND vs AUS World Cup 2023 final: Rohit Sharma's undefeated India will look to end a 10-year global title drought in front of 130,000 fans in the World Cup final against five-time champions Australia on Sunday.
India have racked up 10 straight wins at the tournament as they seek a third World Cup triumph to add to their 1983 and 2011 victories, the last of which came on home soil. Despite the country's cricket riches, India are without an international title since the 2013 Champions Trophy and expectations in the cricket-crazy nation of 1.4 billion people have reached fever pitch. However, the hosts are up against an Australian side who have won eight matches in a row and will be playing in their eighth World Cup final.
Apart from their five World Cup victories, Australia clinched their maiden T20 crown in 2021 and also beat India convincingly in the World Test Championship final earlier this year.
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India handed Australia a six-wicket mauling in the group stage in Chennai four weeks ago where Pat Cummins' side were bowled out for 199. Australia also slumped to a 134-run defeat to South Africa in Lucknow but they avenged that loss on Thursday with a three-wicket win over the Proteas in a tense semi-final at Kolkata. Cricket World Cup factfile on Australia ahead of the IND vs AUS World Cup 2023 final against India in Ahmedabad on Sunday:
World Ranking - 2
Path to the final
Group stage
Oct 08: lost to India by 6 wickets at Chennai
Oct 12: lost to South Africa by 134 runs at Lucknow
Oct 16: bt Sri Lanka by 5 wickets at Lucknow
Oct 20: bt Pakistan by 62 runs at Bengaluru
Oct 25: bt Netherlands by 309 runs at New Delhi
Oct 28: bt New Zealand by 5 runs at Dharamsala
Nov 04: bt England by 33 runs at Ahmedabad
Nov 07: bt Afghanistan by 3 wickets at Mumbai
Nov 11: bt Bangladesh by 8 wickets at Pune
Semi-final
Nov 16: bt South Africa by 3 wickets at Kolkata
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Squad
Pat Cummins (captain), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (wkt), Sean Abbott, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
Leading run-scorer in the squad
David Warner: 6,925 runs; highest score 179; average 45.55; Hundreds 22; Fifties 33
Leading run-scorer at World Cup 2023
David Warner: 528 runs; highest score 163; average 52.80; Hundreds 2; Fifties 2
Leading wicket-taker in the squad
Mitchell Starc: 233 wickets; best bowling 6-28; average 23.02
Leading wicket-taker at World Cup 2023
Adam Zampa: 22 wickets; best bowling 4-8; average 21.40-
Previous World Cup appearances
1975: Runners-up
1979: Group stage
1983: Group stage
1987: Champions
1992: Round-robin stage
1996: Runners-up
1999: Champions
2003: Champions
2007: Champions
2011: Quarter-finals
2015: Champions
2019: Semi-finals