Travis Head breaks India hearts as Australia win sixth World Cup title

Opener Travis Head hit a sparkling 137 to power Australia to a record-extending sixth World Cup title with a convincing six-wicket win over India at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel.

Chasing a tricky 241 for victory in the final, Australia slipped to 47-3 before the left-handed Head hit his second century of the tournament to steer the team home with seven overs to spare.

Head's knock and his marathon stand of 192 with Marnus Labuschagne, unbeaten on 58, ended India's dominant run of 10 unbeaten matches at the event.

Head fell after his 120-ball knock laced with 15 fours and four sixes before Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs to trigger wild celebrations in the Aussie camp.

India's chances of ending a global trophy drought since their 2011 Champions Trophy win went up in smoke once Head got going with Labuschagne.

Head's century was the seventh in a World Cup final and third by an Australian after Ricky Ponting (140 not out v India in 2003) and Adam Gilchrist (149 v Sri Lanka in 2007).

The bowlers set up victory for an Australian side that bounced back after two losses to win nine in a row as Mitchell Starc (3-55) and Pat Cummins (2-34) helped bowl out India for 240.

India hit back when Mohammed Shami shared the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah and struck on his second delivery to get David Warner caught behind for seven.

But it was Bumrah's double strike in quick succession that raised the roof as he had Mitchell Marsh caught behind for 15 and Steve Smith lbw for four.

Head stood firm with Labuschagne for company to thwart the Indian attack despite captain Rohit Sharma rotating his bowlers in a hunt for a breakthrough.

Head, who suffered a fractured hand in South Africa in September, was in danger of missing the World Cup but Australia kept him in the squad until he was fit to play.

He hit a match-winning century against New Zealand in the team's sixth league game and after a few low scores hit an attacking 62 in his team's nervy three-wicket semi-final win over South Africa in Kolkata.

He turned India's nemesis a second time this year after his 163 proved decisive in Australia's World Test Championship triumph at the Oval in June.

Head reached his 100 in 95 balls and raised his bat to an applauding Australian dressing room.

In the award cremoney, Head was declared player of the match while Virat Kohli has been declared player of the tournament.

The Prime Minister of India and the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia handed over the trophy to Pat Cummins. The fireworks went off and the Australian players got together and soaked everything in.

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier, Australia elected to field first and the players backed up Cummins' decision with disciplined bowling and impressive fielding.

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul hit 54 and 66 respectively after Rohit's attacking 47 but the ball dominated the bat on a slow, dry pitch.

Head took a stunning catch while running back from cover point to cut short Rohit's innings off spinner Maxwell.

Cummins bowled Kohli, who ended as the leading batsman in tournament with 765 runs, to silence the crowd of 92,453 fans, who like the home team in the middle had an unforgettable day.

 

 

Earlier, India could score 240 runs losing all wicket in 50 overs.

In the first inning, KL Rahul scored 66 runs in 107 balls, while Virat Kohli made 54 runs in 63 balls. Indian captain Rohit Sharma scored 47 runs in 31 balls. From Australian side, Mitchell Star took three wickers whole Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins took 2 wickets each.

Opener Shubman got out cheaply after scoring four runs while captain Rohit Sharma hit a quickfire 47 off 31 balls before he was caught off the bowling of Glen Maxwell. Shreyar Iyas also went out cheaply after scoring four runs. Virat Kohli was clean-bowled by Pat Cummins after he scored 54. Ravindra Jadeja was out for nine runs.

Earlier, Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to field first against undefeated India in the World Cup final to be played in front of 130,000 fans in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Both teams remain unchanged for the clash at the world's biggest cricket stadium where Australia, playing in an eighth final, look for a sixth title.

India won the World Cup in 1983 and then again on home soil in 2011.

Rohit Sharma's India have won all their 10 matches at the tournament and retain the winning XI from their 70-run semi-final win over New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Rohit said he would have opted to bat first had he won the toss.

"I'd have batted first, it looks a good pitch, it's a big game, let's put runs on the board," said Rohit as the crowd roared.

"It's going to be amazing. The biggest occasion in terms of cricket events. We have to stay calm and get the job done."

The hosts are looking to end a global title drought since their Champions Trophy win in 2013.

Red-hot Virat Kohli leads the tournament batting chart with 711 runs after he smashed a record 50th ODI century in the semis to surpass compatriot Sachin Tendulkar's 49 tons.

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami tops the bowling list with 23 wickets in six matches.

Cummins announced the same team which won a nervy semi-final against South Africa by three wickets in Kolkata on Thursday.

In the group stage, they lost to India in their opener by six wickets and to South Africa by 134 runs before putting together an eight-game winning streak.

"Looks like a bit of a dry wicket and we wanted to bowl first. Dew is one factor and it's quite dewy in the night at this venue," said Cummins.

"Been really proud of the group. Tough start to the tournament but they haven't put a foot wrong since."

Australia hammered India in the 2003 World Cup final in Johannesburg.

Teams

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wkt), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (capt), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Umpires: Richard Illingworth (ENG), Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV Umpire: Joel Wilson (WIS)

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)