 "India vs Australia")
India lost the World Cup 2023 final against Australia by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19. As the wait for the ICC trophy extends for another four years, take a look at the possible reasons why India lost the World Cup 2023 final against now six-time champions Australia.
1. Toss
As Australia won the toss and elected to bowl first, the Indian team were put in a disadvantageous spot because, under floodlights, the pitch got better to bat and may have worked in Australia's favour.
2. Collapse of the middle-order
India's middle order, with key players such as Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav couldn't contribute significantly. Iyer scored four runs, while Yadav scored 18 and consumed too many deliveries for the same.
3. Dew impact in second innings
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Dew played a significant role in reducing the effectiveness of the Indian spinners. The lack of turn due to the wet ball allowed Australian batters, particularly Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, to build a big partnership.
4. Fewer boundaries
After a good start, the men in Blue struggled to find boundaries in the match. After the 10th over, there was a sharp decline in boundaries, significantly hampering the run rate, and stopping the Indian team at 240 runs.
5. No big partnerships
The Indian team failed to build any substantial partnership throughout the game. Apart from a single half-century stand between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, there were no significant collaborations.
6. Australia's aggressive batting
The Australian side displayed an aggressive batting order throughout the finals. Their top order, particularly Travis Head, maintained a strong approach, converting a 241-chase into a more manageable task at the Narendra Modi stadium.
7. Fielding and shot selections
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both fell victim to poor shot selections after getting a good start. India's poor fielding and extra runs contrasted with Australia's great fielding.
8. Pat Cummins' captaincy
The Australian skipper's planning and execution were spot on. The strategic bowling changes and field placement by Cummins limited the runs from the Indian side.
9. Tactical errors
The pitch in Ahmedabad, slower and drier than expected, played a crucial role. Not including Ashwin in the playing 11 can be considered as a mistake. Also, bowling Shami ahead of Siraj was a tactical error.
10. Losing wickets at important times
The Indian team lost wickets at crucial spots. Rohit Sharma lost his wicket in the 10th over, followed by Iyer in the 11th over. When Virat looked to accelerate the innings, he got dismissed. Same happened with K L Rahul.
