After India lost the World Cup finale to Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that team India played with great spirit and brought immense pride to the nation. India's aspirations for a third World Cup title were crushed after a perplexing collapse led to a six-wicket defeat against a resilient Australia. The Aussies secured a historic sixth World Cup title, further solidifying their dominance in the tournament that commenced in 1975.
"Dear Team India, Your talent and determination through the World Cup was noteworthy. You've played with great spirit and brought immense pride to the nation. We stand with you today and always," he posted on X.
He also congratulated the Australian team for their impressive win stating, "Congratulations to Australia on a magnificent World Cup victory! Theirs was a commendable performance through the tournament, culminating in a splendid triumph. Compliments to Travis Head for his remarkable game today."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles arrived in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening to witness the high-stakes ICC Cricket World Cup final match between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The leaders were warmly welcomed by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Governor Acharya Devvrat, and Gujarat BJP Chief CR Paatil at the airport.
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Opting to bat first, India managed a below-par score of 240, despite notable contributions from Rohit Sharma (47 off 31 balls), Virat Kohli (54 off 63), and K L Rahul (66 off 107). Travis Head, replicating his match-winning performance from the WTC final against India in June, played a stellar innings of 137 off 120 balls. Australia successfully chased down the target in 43 overs.
Although Australia faced a minor setback with three wickets down for 47, a formidable 192-run partnership between Head and Marnus Labuschagne (58 not out) firmly shut the door on India's hopes. Australia's exceptional bowling and fielding significantly contributed to their emphatic victory. The evening dew further favored batting on the slow and dry surface.
India, the sole unbeaten team entering the final with an impressive 10 consecutive wins, stumbled at the final hurdle. The last World Cup title for India was in 2011, and their most recent ICC trophy was the Champions Trophy triumph in 2013. Over the past decade, India faced defeats in various ICC events, including the 2014 World T20 final, 2016 World T20 semifinal, 2017 Champions Trophy final, 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal, 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal, and consecutive runners-up finishes in the 2021 and 2023 World Test Championship cycles.
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