Australia defeated India in yet another World Cup final in style. Travis Head once again proves to be the nemesis-in-chief for the Men in Blue
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00:00 Hi, I am Ayaz Memon with the World Cup Update.
00:02 We've had the final, we've had a winner, we've had a loser.
00:06 Unfortunately for India, they ended up
00:08 on the wrong side of the contest.
00:10 Australia was just too good on the day, in batting, in bowling,
00:13 and certainly in fielding.
00:16 India's dream run suggested that if they don't win the title,
00:20 at least they'll put up a really stiff fight.
00:22 It didn't happen.
00:23 Such matches, the finals and stuff,
00:26 or really important matches, are won on moments of magic
00:29 or tenacity, deep resilience.
00:32 India lacked both.
00:34 I mean, I can just give you an example.
00:36 For instance, the 1983 World Cup, which India won.
00:38 Moment of magic, or moments of magic.
00:40 Sandhu getting Gordon Greenwich bowled with a banana
00:43 in swing.
00:43 A couple of days taking that magnificent catch
00:46 to dismiss Bill Richards.
00:47 And the defense of a very moderate score, modest score
00:50 of 183, became possible.
00:53 And before that, of course, the tenacity, resilience,
00:57 and the determination and grit of Kapil Dev in making 175
01:00 not out against Zimbabwe, which got India into the final
01:05 in many ways, showed how these things work out.
01:09 1992 World Cup final, which Pakistan won.
01:12 The team had struggled right through.
01:13 Tenacity, determination, never say die spirit.
01:17 And in the final, Wasim Akram gets those two wickets
01:20 of two successive deliveries.
01:22 And the final swings their way.
01:24 Australia had those moments.
01:26 India didn't at Ahmedabad.
01:28 In the final, Travis Head's catch
01:31 to dismiss Rohit Sharma in many ways for me
01:35 became the defining moment of the match.
01:38 I mean, it was a spectacular catch.
01:40 It was a catch which turned the match, the trend of play
01:44 around completely.
01:44 Because Rohit was going great guns.
01:47 And remember the kind of devastating form
01:48 that Rohit has been in.
01:50 He could have just run away with the match.
01:51 Running back 15, 20 yards, seeing the ball over his head,
01:55 driving full length forward and taking the catch was--
01:59 I mean, it was incredible, to say the least.
02:03 But he wasn't done yet.
02:05 When Australia were batting and chasing 241, modest score,
02:09 but the pitch wasn't as conducive for batting
02:11 as many would have thought, Travis Head
02:16 goes and makes a spankingly good hundred.
02:18 Now, he's got something.
02:19 He's become India's nemesis in chief.
02:21 Remember, in the World Cup Test Championship final
02:23 at the Oval some months back, he was the guy who came out
02:27 and played a blistering knock and took the game away
02:29 from India after Australia had lost a few early wickets.
02:32 Here in this match with Manas Labhushain,
02:35 a little chancy towards the start,
02:38 and thereafter just completely dominated the Indian bowling.
02:43 Counter-attacked very sensibly.
02:45 Neither pace nor spinners could get Travis Head out.
02:50 And that really was the big difference.
02:52 Because he was the aggressor.
02:53 He was the run scorer.
02:55 Manas Labhushain, very crucial innings.
02:57 But he was the support cast.
02:59 So moments of magic in both.
03:02 In the final, came through Travis Head's brilliant catch.
03:06 And then, of course, the way he batted.
03:07 And let's not forget, I think Pat Cummins,
03:10 you have to give him credit.
03:11 Throughout the tournament, he's not taken the most wickets.
03:14 He's not been, in that sense, a dominating figure.
03:18 But in the final, his captaincy was first rate.
03:20 Remember, in earlier matches, he's
03:22 come and he's played that terrific supporting role
03:25 to Glenn Maxwell in the victory against Afghanistan.
03:28 Again, in the match against South Africa in the semifinals,
03:31 he and Stark batted Australia through to a win.
03:35 In this final, came up and picked up two wickets,
03:39 including that of Virat Kohli, who was the big threat
03:43 after Rohit had gone.
03:46 And the way he marshalled his resources, the field placing,
03:49 he just squeezed India for runs.
03:51 They just couldn't get enough runs.
03:53 40, 50 runs more could have been a difference,
03:55 could have made a difference.
03:56 But you know, ifs and buts are plentiful.
03:59 Ultimately, what matters is which team
04:01 played better on the day.
04:02 And I thought Australia were better by far.
04:05 Bad luck for India.
04:06 They've had a fantastic, memorable campaign.
04:09 I wouldn't fault the Indian team at all.
04:12 And all this criticism of Rohit Sharma
04:15 really irks me for the kind of stroke he played
04:17 and he got out.
04:18 I think he's been magnificent.
04:20 His blazing starts that he's given,
04:23 the kind of tactical acumen that he showed,
04:27 the role definition for each player,
04:29 the tempo of the campaign, the nature,
04:32 the tenor of the campaign was all, in many ways,
04:36 Rohit's doing.
04:37 And he has perhaps set a template
04:39 for how India can be more creative and stronger going
04:44 ahead in white ball cricket.
04:47 [BLANK_AUDIO]