India's pursuit of 1983 glory: Rohit Sharma and team strive for redemption amidst dominance in World Cup final
India's pursuit of 1983 glory: In the highly anticipated 2023 World Cup final against Australia at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, India faced a formidable challenge as the trio of Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood left the hosts in tatters during their batting innings.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Australian bowlers, led by Pat Cummins, capitalised on India's early struggle, causing a stuttering start with the dismissal of opener Shubman Gill (4). The responsibility to rebuild fell on the shoulders of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but Kohli's promising innings of 47 from 31 balls was cut short by Glenn Maxwell.
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Despite Rohit Sharma's efforts and KL Rahul's half-century (66), the Indian batting lineup faltered against the relentless Australian attack. Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, and Suryakumar Yadav failed to make substantial contributions, resulting in India being bowled out for 240 in 50 overs.
This low total marked the fourth instance in a World Cup final where a team batting first scored less than 200. Drawing parallels to the 1983 final when India, under Kapil Dev, was bowled out for 183, the current scenario mirrored the challenging situation faced by the hosts.
In the 1983 World Cup final, India, led by Kapil Dev, faced West Indies, with Andy Roberts taking a three-wicket haul to bowl out India for 183. The chase saw Madan Lal and Mohinder Amarnath play pivotal roles as West Indies were bowled out for 140, resulting in a historic Indian victory.
As the focus shifted to the run chase, India aimed to break the opening partnership of David Warner and Travis Head early on and considered Glenn Maxwell's middle-order prowess as crucial for Australia. In the bowling department, Mohammed Shami emerged as Rohit Sharma's trump card, having picked a seven-wicket haul in the semi-finals and leading the wicket-takers list with 23 dismissals from seven games. The stage was set for a riveting second innings in the World Cup final showdown.
- With inputs from agencies
