Australia cruise to victory over India in Cricket World Cup final
Australia cruised to a sixth Cricket World Cup crown with a six-wicket victory over India in Ahmedabad, Travis Head scoring a majestic century.
At the start of the tournament, the Baggy Greens were slow to get going, while hosts India had won each of their 10 matches heading into the final.
However, India were outplayed by their opponents, the home side being bowled out for 240 before Australia reached their target with 42 balls to spare, Head scoring 137 off 120 balls.
Despite losing the toss and being put into bat, India would have been satisfied by reaching 76-2 off 9.4 overs, Rohit Sharma making 47 from just 31 deliveries.
Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66) backed up their skipper, but India were only on 203-6 after 41.3 overs, the challenge being to bat out the remainder of their allotted overs.
Although they achieved that goal, just another 37 runs were added, five separate Australian bowlers taking wickets but Mitchell Starc being the star with 3-55.
India required a fast start with their reply and they got it, David Warner (7), Mitchell Marsh (15) and Steven Smith (4) all departing to leave Australia on 47-3.
Nevertheless, despite Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami being quickly in the wickets, they had no answer to Head and Marnus Labuschagne, whose 58 from 110 gave Head the freedom to attack at the other end.
Head’s 137 – his fifth one-day international ton – comprised of 15 fours and four maximums, a third-wicket stand of 192 one for the history books.
The 29-year-old undeservedly failed to remain at the crease until the end, holing out with two remaining, but Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs off his first ball to get Australia over the line, breaking the hearts of the majority of the 120,000 crowd.
