Mohammed Shami was the top wicket-taker in the Cricket World Cup 2023, taking 24 wickets in just 7 matches. His outstanding performances helped India reach the final. However, there were strange accusations from Pakistan, with former player Hasan Raza claiming the Indian team cheated by using different balls. Shami, who wasn’t initially part of the playing XI, joined the team after Hardik Pandya’s injury and made a significant impact with two five-wicket hauls and a 4-wicket performance in the next 7 matches. Shami dismissed the comments from some former Pakistani cricket stars, stating they couldn’t accept his success.

“I pray to god that 10 bowlers come up with my kind of performance. I am not jealous of anyone. If you start enjoying the success of others, you will become a better player,” Shami said in an with Puma.

“I’ve been hearing a lot lately. Initially, I wasn’t part of the Playing XI, but when I got the chance, I took 5 wickets. In the next two games, I dismissed 4 and 5 batters. Some Pakistani players couldn’t handle my success; they seem to think they’re the best. In my opinion, the best player is the one who performs when it matters,” Shami stated. He found it puzzling that former player Hasan Raza made nonsensical comments about different balls being used.

“They were causing unnecessary controversy, claiming we were using different balls. Even Wasim bhai explained the ball selection process on his show. It’s disappointing when someone who hasn’t played the game makes such statements. As an ex-player, you should know better,” he concluded.

Well before the Cricket World Cup 2023 teams were finalized, discussions about the pitch dominated the tournament chatter. As the semi-finals approached, the focus shifted to the nature of the pitch for the knockout matches. The final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad saw the hosts grappling with the consequences of a slow and sluggish wicket, prompting cricket legends to call out what they deemed a ‘tactical blunder’ in pitch preparation.

Australia’s decision to field first, following Pat Cummins winning the toss, set the tone for the final. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, expressed his preference for batting first but ultimately faced the consequences of Australia’s strategic pitch assessment. Ricky Ponting, commentating during the match, labeled India’s wicket preparation a “tactical blunder” that had backfired.

“It was very, very sub-continental conditions today,” Ponting commented. “A wicket preparation that has probably ended up backfiring on India to be totally fair.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan credited Australia’s clever tactics and the strategic mindset of their think tank. He emphasized that Australia, perceived as a 280-run team, seized the opportunity provided by the pitch. Vaughan highlighted the success of Australia’s plan to silence the crowd and expressed surprise at the efficiency with which they achieved their target.

“They did exactly what Pat Cummins said they would, they’ve silenced the crowd. They’ve done it in great fashion,” Vaughan asserted.

Nasser Hussain, another former England captain, provided insight into the impact of India’s long tail on the match outcome. He pointed out that India’s inability to have effective all-round options hurt their batting strategy. According to Hussain, the concern is about the lower-order batsmen, particularly Shami at No. 8, restricted the aggression of key players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in the middle overs.

“India’s four bowlers not being able to bat that well came back to haunt them. That’s why Rahul and Kohli couldn’t go hard,” Hussain commented on Sky Sports.

Australian cricketer Mitchell Marsh is thrilled about winning the ICC Cricket World Cup. He posted an Instagram photo of himself holding the trophy with his father, Geoff Marsh, who previously won with Australia in 1987. Marsh had an outstanding tournament, scoring 441 runs in 10 matches for an average of 49. He hit two centuries and a fifty, with his highest score being 177*. He scored the ninth most runs and got two wickets.

In three prior games, Marsh sMitchell marsh with Geoff Marshcored 31 runs and claimed five wickets, including a five-wicket haul against England, to win the 2015 Cricket World Cup.. His dad, Geoff, was a star in the 1987 World Cup, finishing as the third-highest run-scorer with 428 runs in eight matches, averaging 61.14, and scoring two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 126*.

In the final match, Australia chose to bowl first, restricting India to 240 runs in 50 overs. Australian bowlers Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood performed well. Defending the target, India had Australia at 47/3 but couldn’t stop Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. Australia prevailed by six wickets, with Mitchell Marsh making a substantial contribution to their victory.

Virat Kohli, like all members of the Indian team and millions of fans worldwide, felt devastated after Australia won the Cricket World Cup 2023 final. Despite Kohli’s outstanding performance with the bat and being named the player of the tournament, Australia’s victory prevented him from lifting the trophy. After Australia’s comfortable win led by Travis Head, Kohli, visibly heartbroken, sought comfort from his wife Anushka Sharma in the stands. The image of their embrace became widely shared on social media.

In the final, Kohli scored 54 runs off 63 balls before getting dismissed by Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins. Even his dismissal surprised the audience at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, leaving Anushka equally shocked.

Australia successfully chased a target of 241 runs, with Travis Head’s impressive 137 runs off 120 balls securing their 6th ODI World Cup title. Cummins praised his team’s performance, noting that they executed their plan perfectly to outdo the Indian side on the big occasion.

Kohli’s hope of winning the World Cup for the second time came to an end with this defeat. It remains uncertain whether he will participate in another ODI World Cup in the future.

The Indian cricket team lost in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final to Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Despite an unbeaten run until the final, Rohit Sharma’s team couldn’t secure the trophy. After the defeat, PM Narendra Modi visited the dressing room to motivate the players. Ravindra Jadeja shared this special post-match gesture on social media, expressing gratitude for the support from the fans. PM Modi, who watched the match, also presented the World Cup trophy to Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins. India, once favorites, faced bitter disappointment with their second loss to Australia in a final within five months. The team’s last global title came in 2013, and Sunday marked their second consecutive loss in a major final after the World Test Championship in June.

In the wake of the devastating World Cup final loss to Australia, India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, is taking some time to consider his future with the team. Dravid’s two-year contract officially ended with this match, where India lost by six wickets. Despite guiding the team to two ICC tournament finals and one semi-final during his tenure, discussions about Dravid’s future with the BCCI have not taken place.

When asked about his future plans and whether he would consider coaching in a single format, Dravid remained non-committal, stating that he hasn’t had time to think about it and will reflect on it later. He emphasized that his focus was entirely on the recent campaign and that he hasn’t given much thought to what happens next.

Dravid, known as ‘Mr Dependable,’ expressed pride in working with the players over the past two years and considered it a privilege. However, he is not inclined to analyze his own tenure as a coach.

Regarding the possibility of guiding the team in the next T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, Dravid stated that he hasn’t thought about it and had no plans for the future.

Responding to questions about the disappointment of Indian cricketers losing out on a World Cup, Dravid laughed off speculations about the 2027 edition, emphasizing that there is plenty of time before then.

Rohit Sharma was hailed by Dravid as a remarkable leader who gave the squad his all and went above and beyond to foster a relationship with the players. Acknowledging the players’ hard work and sacrifices, he expressed empathy with their disappointment in the dressing room following the final.

Reflecting on the match, Dravid mentioned that India fell short by 40 runs, considering it a 280-290 kind of wicket. He thought that obtaining those extra runs might have increased Australia’s pressure.. Despite a slow start, Dravid felt the pitch played well, and he credited Australia for not losing wickets while chasing down the target.

Australia’s former Test skipper, Tim Paine, showered praise on Pat Cummins for his exceptional leadership and stellar performance during their victorious World Cup campaign in India. Cummins, leading from the front, showcased exemplary bowling skills with figures of 2/34 in 10 overs, including crucial dismissals of Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, limiting India to a modest 240. Cummins’ courageous choice to bowl first after winning the toss received praise, establishing the momentum for Australia’s victory. The team went on to clinch a remarkable sixth World Cup championship, defeating India by six wickets. Travis Head’s outstanding 137 and Marnus Labuschagne’s unbeaten 58 played a pivotal role in leading the charge.

Speaking on SEN Radio, Paine highlighted Cummins’ strategic brilliance in choosing to bowl first, despite initial surprises from onlookers. Paine emphasized the team’s awareness of the challenging conditions in the second innings due to dew and credited Cummins for the well-thought-out decision. The former captain praised Andrew McDonald and the coaching staff for their contributions to the team’s victory.

Paine lauded Cummins for flawless execution throughout the final, noting that not a single decision went awry. He highlighted Cummins’ astute captaincy, from setting unique field placements for Rohit Sharma to adapting strategies based on the pitch conditions. Paine praised the atypical approach, like employing four fielders on the offside without any cover, exhibiting a degree of tactical creativity seldom witnessed in one-day cricket.

Describing Cummins’ performance as one of his “great games” as captain, Paine pointed out Cummins’ ability to read the game and make effective bowling changes.In order to build up overs at crucial junctures, Cummins skillfully used Travis Head and Mitch Marsh, demonstrating a deep understanding of the subtleties of the game. In his closing speech, Paine praised Cummins for setting a positive example with his excellent bowling skills and firm leadership, which played a significant role in Australia’s successful on-field performance.

Australian cricketer Mitchell Marsh is getting criticized on social media for a picture where he’s resting his foot on the Cricket World Cup trophy. This comes after Australia defeated India by six wickets to win the World Cup. The previously undefeated Indian team captained by Rohit Sharma suffered a serious setback with the loss. People on social media are expressing their disgust over Marsh’s foot resting on the trophy while he sits on a sofa in the widely shared shot. Australia’s skipper, Pat Cummins, declared it their greatest performance of the World Cup and attributed their victory to keeping India to 240 runs. Travis Head scored an astounding 137 runs off of 120 balls to help the Australians win by six wickets.

“We saved our best for the last. I am chuffed with keeping them to 240 – anything under 300 really. I was one of those blokes with the hearts fluttering but Head took the game on,” said Cummins during the post-match presentation.

The winning captain was happy to see key players like Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and Mitchell Starc stepping up on the big night.

“A couple of big-match players stepped up and chuffed. It was a shift after two games. The openers were really aggressive and it was a total buy-in from everyone. We will remember this year (2023) for a long time. This pips it all,” said Cummins.

Cummins gave his reasoning for chasing the target rather than establishing one, a move that teams generally steer clear of during crucial games.

“We thought it was a good night to chase. The pitch was slower than I thought and it didn’t particularly spin and we bowled tight lines. On a slow wicket with variable bounce, we had a couple of catchers on the leg side,” he said.

Cummins showered Australia’s on-field efforts with praise as well. “We have an ageing side but everyone threw themselves around,” he said

Head, the man-of-the-match, joined the team late due to a hand injury from the pre-World Cup series against South Africa.He did a fantastic job in the final, and Cummins gave him high acclaim.

Cummins said, “The selectors supported him even with a broken hand. It was a big risk, but it worked out.” The cricketer from Sydney was happy to play and win in front of passionate fans in India.

“It was incredible to perform, and the fervor in India is unparalleled,” he continued. Winning a World Cup here is something you can’t wait for.”

In pursuit of a challenging 241, Australia initially stumbled at 47-3 before Head’s stellar performance, marking his second century in the tournament, guided the team to victory with seven overs to spare.

Head’s exceptional innings, adorned with 15 boundaries and four sixes in his 120-ball stay, formed a crucial 192-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne, who remained unbeaten at 58. This pivotal stand shattered India’s dominance, ending their streak of 10 consecutive unbeaten matches in the tournament.

Following Head’s departure, Glenn Maxwell’s final strokes secured the win, igniting exuberant celebrations within the Australian camp.

India’s hopes of breaking their trophy dry spell since the 2013 Champions Trophy faded as Head’s momentum, particularly alongside Labuschagne, thwarted their efforts.

Head’s century marked the seventh in a World Cup final and the third by an Australian, following the remarkable performances of Ricky Ponting (140 not out against India in 2003) and Adam Gilchrist (149 versus Sri Lanka in 2007).

Australia’s triumph was set up by their bowlers, with Mitchell Starc (3-55) and Pat Cummins (2-34) dismantling the Indian lineup, restricting them to 240.

While India made an initial breakthrough when Mohammed Shami dismissed David Warner for seven, Jasprit Bumrah’s quick double strike, removing Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith, injected energy into their pursuit.

However, Head’s resilience, supported by Labuschagne, thwarted India’s attack despite Captain Rohit Sharma’s strategic bowler rotations in search of breakthroughs.

Head’s journey to the World Cup victory was almost thwarted by a fractured hand in September, but Australia retained him in the squad until his recovery. His impactful performances, including a match-winning century against New Zealand and a crucial 62 in the semifinals against South Africa, validated his indispensability to the team.

This marked Head’s second time inflicting damage on India this year, following his crucial 163 in Australia’s World Test Championship victory at the Oval in June.

His century reached in 95 balls, and earned applause from the Australian dressing room, making him the seventh batter and the third Australian to achieve a century in a World Cup final, joining the ranks of compatriots Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist.

Australia’s decision to field first paid off, with Cummins’ disciplined leadership in bowling supported by exceptional fielding. Despite promising innings from Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66), the slow and dry pitch favored the bowlers.

Head’s breathtaking catch at cover point dismissed Rohit Sharma, while Cummins’ delivery ended Kohli’s innings, leaving the crowd of 92,453 fans, as well as the home team, with an unforgettable day.

There was controversy before the Cricket World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand. Accusations were made that the pitch was swapped at the last minute. India prevailed in the highly-scoring contest.. In the other semi-final between Australia and South Africa, a used pitch was used. Australia won by a small margin, and after the game, Mitchell Starc made a cheeky comment about the pitch for the final.

Australia didn’t perform well while chasing 213 runs. Starc was asked if he was concerned about the final, given the nature of the run-chase. He humorously replied, “I guess we’ll find out when we get to Ahmedabad tomorrow and see if it’s a fresh wicket or an old wicket.”

In the press conference, Starc talked about the pitch at the Eden Gardens. He mentioned it was a bare wicket and might have been tougher for batting initially. Despite acknowledging the inconsistent tempo, he gave the squad credit for their performance, particularly for the power play.

When asked if it was surprising to play on a pitch that didn’t showcase the one-day game in a tournament where many runs were scored, Starc admitted he’s not an expert in reading pitches. He noted that the practice wicket turned a lot, and the used pitch might explain the surprising seam movement. Despite the surprises, he suggested that sometimes it’s nice to see the ball dominate the bat.