India's first innings performances against Australia left plenty to be desired; the Men in Blue struck out for 240, with half-centuries from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli the only saving grace for an otherwise disappointing display with the bat. (Match Blog | Scorecard | Streaming | Key Battles | Preview)
Still to bowl, Indian cricket team received support from their football counterpart Sunil Chhetri, who took to his social media channel to rally support behind the side battling record-champions Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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"To every Indian supporter in the stadium - make sure that our bowlers run up to a roar for every SINGLE BALL. This team has given us 10 flawless games. Let’s give them an unforgettable one. Pull these boys over the line," Chhetri wrote.
India started well with the ball. Thanks to the unnerving pace of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, the hosts claimed the scalps of David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, and Steve Smith early, setting the stage for an epic conclusion to a thrilling tournament.
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Earlier, India lost the toss but still got what they wanted, as Australia chose to bowl first in the titanic final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Rohit Sharma's India are playing the same XI as their previous game against New Zealand, and the Pat Cummins-led Australians are also fielding the same team that they did in the semi-final against South Africa.
Rohit said he would have batted first if he had won the toss, which means Cummins' decision went in his favour. Cummins said dew could be a factor later on, which prompted his decision to bowl. The toss plays a key role in the final between two goliaths of world cricket.
However, in the last 12 World Cups, team that has won the toss has gone to win four times and teams that have lost the toss, have won 8 times. Most notably, India's success in the 1983 and 2011 saw them lose the toss in the two World Cup finals which they went onto win.
