In the title clash five-time champions Australia will be up against hosts India, who are yet to bite the dust in the ICC World Cup 2023.
Australia’s journey to the final of the marquee event has been a testament to their bouncebackability. Despite a false start with defeats in their initial two matches, including a loss to India by six wickets and a crushing defeat versus South Africa by 134 runs, Pat Cummins and his troops proved their mettle by stringing together an eight-game winning streak to reach the summit clash.
About playing India in the grand finale, and taking on the only unbeaten side in the tournament, Starc said that it’s unlikely that a team would win a World Cup without beating the best side of the World Cup, and that the two cricketing powerhouses were no strangers to big occasions.
“That’s why we play the game, we take on the best, they’ve been the best in the tournament so far, and that’s why we find ourselves in the final. That’s what World Cups are about. It’s a big occasion, a World Cup final. Both teams played each other in the Test final earlier this year, so I don’t think either change room is new to big occasions. It’s going to be loud and passionate, and it’s just going to be a great spectacle and everyone in our changeroom looks forward to the occasion.”
Meanwhile, cricket pundit Nasser Hussain remarked that Australia will need to be above par in all departments to get the better of Rohit Sharma and his troops.
🏏 "We played them in the first game of the tournament, now we get to take them on in the last."
🇦🇺🇮🇳 Mitchell Starc says he's excited to face India in Sunday's World Cup final — even if he can't remember much from the last time the two countries met in a decider. 😂#CWC23 pic.twitter.com/xle3qzzIPc
— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) November 17, 2023
