Hello, and welcome back to my blog, SlogVlog! We’re reaching the culmination of an extraordinary 1.5 months in the ICC Cricket World Cup. Today marks the finale between two powerhouse teams: the current leading team in this World Cup, the two-time champions, India, and undoubtedly the greatest sides in World Cup history, the record five-time champions, Australia. The excitement for this match is unprecedented.
With 1.4 billion people fervently supporting India, the question remains: can Australia overcome the challenge posed by the eleven Indian players and an entire nation’s support? That’s what we’ll witness today. But for now, let’s delve into today’s post – a preview of the two best teams of this World Cup – India and Australia! Let’s dive right into the preview!
- Road to Final
- Semi-Final Recaps For Both Teams
- Probable 11
- Stats
- Weather
- Pitch
- Prediction
- Player To Watch Out For
- Where/When/How to watch this match in INDIA AND AUSTRALIA:
Road To Final: India and Australia
INDIA
| INDIA | VS | TEAMS | RESULT |
| India | VS | Australia | Won |
| India | VS | Afghanistan | Won |
| India | VS | Pakistan | Won |
| India | VS | Bangladesh | Won |
| India | VS | New Zealand | Won |
| India | VS | England | Won |
| India | VS | Sri Lanka | Won |
| India | VS | South Africa | Won |
| India | VS | Netharlands | Won |
| India | VS | New Zealand | Won |
AUSTRALIA
| AUSTRALIA | VS | TEAMS | RESULT |
| Australia | VS | India | Lost |
| Australia | VS | South Africa | Lost |
| Australia | VS | Sri Lanka | Won |
| Australia | VS | Pakistan | Won |
| Australia | VS | Netharlands | Won |
| Australia | VS | New Zealand | Won |
| Australia | VS | England | Won |
| Australia | VS | Afghanistan | Won |
| Australia | VS | Bangladesh | Won |
| Australia | VS | South Africa | Won |
Semi-Final Recap:
INDIA:
It was a historic win for India as they broke their winless streak against New Zealand in knockout matches, staging an unforgettable clash at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. India set a massive target of 398 runs, witnessing a standout performance from their stalwart, “King” Kohli, who surpassed “God” Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries, achieving a Half-Century of Centuries against New Zealand. Shreyas Iyer also made a significant contribution with a blistering knock of 105, followed by KL Rahul’s powerful cameo, scoring 39 runs off just 20 balls.
New Zealand commenced their innings impressively, holding promise for a successful chase. However, Mohammad Shami had different plans. His brilliant seven-wicket haul dismantled the New Zealand batting lineup, securing India’s victory in the first semi-final and earning him the Man of the Match award. India sure took revenge for MS Dhoni and 1.4 billion others.
AUSTRALIA:
In a gripping match at the iconic Eden Gardens, Australia faced South Africa in a contest filled with dramatic moments. South Africa encountered early trouble in their innings, but David Miller emerged as their saviour, playing a stellar inning of 101, steering his team to a respectable total of 212.
Australia commenced their chase aggressively but faced significant resistance from the talented South African spinners and pacer Gerald Coetzee. Despite Australia losing wickets at regular intervals, they managed to reach the target with three wickets in hand, owing to the small target set by South Africa. Even though Australia required just 20 runs in 36 balls at one point, the exceptional bowling by the South African bowlers kept the match tense. Had the target been slightly higher, South Africa might have secured victory, but their Semi-Final curse persisted as Australia clinched the win.
Probable 11 For Both Teams:
India:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (WK)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammad Shami
- Mohammad Siraj
- Kuldeep Yadav
Australia:
- David Warner
- Travis Head
- Mitchell Marsh
- Steve Smith
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Glenn Maxwell
- Josh Inglis
- Mitchell Stark
- Pat Cummins
- Adam Zampa
- Josh Hazlewood
Stats: India VS Australia in Knockouts:
| Matches- | 3 |
| India Won- | 1 |
| Australia Won | 2 |
| Tied- | 0 |
| No Result- | 0 |
Weather Report:
Tomorrow’s forecast looks promising, with the weather predicting a bright and clear day. According to the reports, the weather gods seem to favour a sunny and fair final, ensuring ideal conditions for the match. It’s certainly a relief! But dew is expected towards the second half, as it is winter season.
Pitch Report:
This pitch has been utilized previously, notably during the match against Pakistan. While India’s win by chasing in that game might not be the sole reason, the chasing team won three out of the four matches played on this track in the tournament. Additionally, considering the current winter season and dropping temperatures, coupled with the inevitable dew factor, choosing to chase appears to be the optimal strategy. This pitch has witnessed a variety of scoring scenarios—ranging from high-scoring to low-scoring and even medium-scoring games.
Prediction-
I can feel the urge to root for India with all my heart, yet Australia stands as the heavyweight contender of the World Cup. This final marks Australia’s eighth appearance in such a scenario, whereas only Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin from the Indian squad have experienced the intensity of a World Cup Final. Five players from the current Australian team were part of the 2015 CWC final. For Australia, the World Cup finals have been akin to a sporadic long-distance relationship—a frequent occurrence between 1996 and 2007, then an extended wait of eight years.
The dynamics of this match are intriguing; India seeks both vengeance and the chance to continue their flawless run in this World Cup, while Australia aims to secure a record sixth CWC trophy. The pressure doesn’t only rest on Australia, but the 11 Indian players carry the aspirations of 1.4 billion people, bearing immense pressure too. The final outcome remains uncertain, but currently, Australia seems to possess a strong opportunity to clinch victory over India in this CWC final.
Player To Watch Out For:
India’s Mohammad Shami stands out as the player in this final. His phenomenal bowling performance, claiming a match-winning 7-51, played a pivotal role in India’s journey to clinch the trophy. Additionally, the undeniable presence of King Kohli cannot be overlooked, especially after his record-breaking achievement against New Zealand in Sachin Tendulkar’s home ground, witnessed by the legendary cricketer himself. With both Shami’s extraordinary form and Kohli’s resurgence, Indian fans are eagerly anticipating another possible century from Kohli against Australia on the grandest stage of them all.
No team has been able to win a CWC away from home in the last 12 years, with the current hosts, India, starting the trend in 2011, but can Australia break that trend and clinch their 6th CWC Trophy? Or will India continue that trend and win their 3rd CWC trophy? Watch the biggest cricket match of the year, which is happening in the biggest cricket stadium between the two best teams along with your family and friends only on Disney+Hotstar at 2:00 PM IST today, if you wanna watch the broadcasting too, then please log into Disney+Hotstar at 12:00 PM IST. If you are an Aussie, do not worry; you can watch the Final on Channel 9, having breakfast with your family at 8:00 AM ACT.
Well then, that’s it for today!
Until next time!
Thank you.
SlogVlog 