IND Vs AUS Final: Australia's Track Record In Cricket World Cup Title Clashes Over The Years

Never give Australia a sniff when they are down, for they can rise like a phoenix and pull off a win from nowhere. Afghanistan, who were their hapless victims in the group stage of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, know this full well. The Afghans gave Glenn Maxwell a couple of reprieves and an otherworldly Maxwell proceeded to produce the most astounding knock you can ever hope to see, lifting the Aussies from 91/7 to a mind-boggling three-wicket win. Two games later, the Pat Cummins-led side finds itself in the final, facing an undefeated India in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19. (Scorecard | Streaming | Key Battles | Preview)

Australia are no longer the team they used to be in their heydays. The invincible era that The Kangaroos enjoyed in Ricky Ponting's reign ended soon after titans of the game like Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Matthew Hayden, Shane Warne, Ponting himself and Adam Gilchrist retired. 'Pup' Michael Clarke took over, and did a great job, but not nearly in the same all-dominating manner as his predecessor.   

The next cycle of transition has been even more challenging, and the Aussies are not an indomitable force anymore. But they continue to possess the same fighting spirit and resilience that made the previous-generation cricketers champions. It is perhaps in the team's DNA, as their knock-out stage record too bears witness.

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Australia have played nine semi-finals in ODI World Cup history and won eight of those, going on to annex the trophy five times. Every time an Australian cricket team goes into a marquee clash, their opponents know what they are in for. In the current edition, Cummins and Co lost their first two matches, but bounced back in style to win the next seven and march into the semi-finals, where they edged out South Africa in a thrilling encounter.

And so, even though they are up against a rampaging Indian outfit that has won 10 games in a row in the tournament, Australia as always will be up for a dogfight. Rohit Sharma's men better be wary of The Kangaroos, for they have tasted blood. If history bears any significance, the visitors will come at India hard.

With that, let's take a look at Australia's track record in the Cricket World Cup finals over the years.

1975: Australia Lost To West Indies By 17 Runs
Australia waltzed into the summit clash of the inagural edition, but faced a formidable West Indies led by Clive Lloyd, who delivered a 'Player Of The Match' peformance in the big game at Lord's. Lloyd scored a swashbuckling 85-ball 102 to help post a daunting total of 291/8 in 60 overs. The Aussies fought hard but were bowled out of 274, with eight ball still left in their quota. Ian Chappell top-scored for them with 62 runs.       

1987: Australia Defeated England By 7 Runs
Arch-rivals England and Australia locked horns in this game, which was played at the hallowed Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Batting first, the Aussies notched up 253/5 in their stipulated 50 overs, with opener David Boon scoring a patient 75-run knock. In reply, the Mike Gatting-led England kept losing wickets and could only muster 246 for the loss of eight wickets. A 22-year-old Steve Waugh starred with the ball, picking up 2/37 off 9 overs.     

1996: Australia Lost To Sri Lanka By 7 Wickets
This was Sri Lanka's World Cup, through and through. The Islanders had a fabulous tournament and outshone the usually fancied Aussies in the final as well. 'Mad Max' Aravinda de Silva came up with an inspired performance, first picking up three wickets to help restrict Australia to 241/7 and then holding fort in the chase with a superb century to take the Lankans comfortably home in Lahore.  

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1999: Australia Beat Pakistan By 8 Wickets
After a nail-biting semi-final against South Africa that will forever be remembered as one of the most thrilling ODI matches of all time, the Steve Waugh-led Aussies absolutely dominated the final to give Pakistan no chance at Lord's. Spin wizard Shane Warne scalped four wickets as the Men In Green were bundled out for a measly total of 132. Waugh's team chased down the target with eight wickets and nearly 30 overs to spare.  

2003: Australia Beat India By 125 Runs
Ricky Ponting's era of triumphant World Cup captaincy began here. A buoyant India had reached the final on the back of a string of consistent performances, but they were just blown away by The Kangaroos in the final at Johannesburg. Ponting played a captain's innings, smashing 140 runs off just 121 balls to propel the Aussies to a virtually insurmountable total of 359/2. India folded for 234 in response, giving Australia their second consecutive title victory. 

2007: Australia Beat Sri Lanka By 53 Runs (D/L Method)
While Glenn McGrath was instrumental in taking his team to the final of the 2007 edition with 26 wickets, Adam Gilchrist was pivotal in winning them the title clash at Bridgetown, Barbados. In a rain-curtailed match, the destructive wicketkeeper-batter went bonkers to produce a 104-ball 149, lifting the Aussies to a towering total of 281/4 in 38 overs. Senior statesmen Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara hit half-centuries in reply but they were not enough to prevent a hat-trick of World Cups for the invincible Aussies. 

2015: Australia Beat New Zealand By 7 Wickets 
Aussie left-arm pace bowlers ruled the roost in this edition, with gifted swing bowler Mitchell Starc bagging 22 wickets to emerge as the Player of The Series, and fellow seamers James Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson shining in the final with three wickets each. The trio combined to help dismiss the Kiwis for 183 in the first innings at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and the batters knocked off the small target with seven wickets and 101 balls in hand. This was Australia's first World Cup title at home.