It has been over a week since India's agonising defeat to Australia in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While the Rohit Sharma-led side had dominated their way through to the finals, in the summit clash it was the Aussies who had the last laugh and ended up clinching their record-extending sixth World Cup title.
One of the stand out performers for Australia with the ball was captain Pat Cummins. While he hadn't had the best of tournaments up until the summit clash, when it mattered the most, he produced figures of 2/34 in his 10 overs, getting the wickets of Shreyas Iyer and the eventual Player of the Tournament Virat Kohli just when India had revived after early wickets and would have been keen on looking to up the ante.
Recalling Kohli's wicket in particular, Cummins said that the largest cricket stadium packed with Indian fans seeemed as quite as a library when he got the better of Kohli for 54 off 63.
"We’re in a huddle after the wicket of Kohli in the final & (Steve) Smith says,’Boys, listen to the crowd.’ And we just took a moment of pause, and it was as quiet as a library, 100,000-plus Indians there & it was so quiet. I’ll savour that moment for a long time,” Cummins told ‘The Age’ during an interview.
Another Heartbreak For India
Australia bowled India out for 240 in their 50 overs before chasing down the target with 7 overs to spare. Travis Head scored a sensational hundred in the titular contest scoring 137 while Marnus Labuschagne held one end up and ensured that he does not give his wicket away- scoring 58 off 110.
The result meant India came so close but once again failed to clinch a world title. Their last ICC trophy triumph came in 2013 when India beat England in the final to lift the ICC Champions Trophy 2013.