Ahmedabad, Nov 19: Pat Cummins’ team pulled off the biggest World Cup final turn-up in three decades as Travis Head belted one of the great tons in the tournament’s history to lead his side to a remarkable six-wicket victory and ruin India’s cricketing coronation.
Cummins’ surprise call to insert the home side on what proved a slow Ahmedabad pitch paid off as he led a strangling bowling performance to keep his formidable opponents to just 240 and bowl them out for the first time in a previously undefeated campaign. Head, who took a match-turning catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma, was dismissed for 137 off his 120th ball with Australia just two runs shy of their target, leaving it to Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs off his first ball.Marnus Labuschagne (58no off 110) joined Head after Australia’s Powerplay aggression backfired when they slumped to 3-47 before the pair demoralised the 92,543 fans packed into the Narendra Modi Stadium.
They put on 192 for the fourth wicket – the second highest partnership in a World Cup decider – as Head clubbed India’s continued attempts to bowl short at him and played the home side’s spinners expertly on the wearing surface.
The duo exchanged a long embrace after Head was dismissed to acknowledge their momentous stand.
The result silenced the vast sea of blue Indian jerseys who had come expecting their team to handle the Aussies as easily as they had their previous 10 opponents in this tournament. (Agencies)
