The World Cup journey commenced on a October afternoon at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and will culminate on Sunday in a final showdown between India and Australia. After two decades, these cricketing powerhouses find themselves face-to-face once again in the World Cup final. Rohit Sharma is poised to seek redemption for India, aiming to avenge the 2003 loss. Conversely, Australia eyes the opportunity to accomplish a Hexa mission. Having fallen short in the last three events, Australia is determined not to let this chance slip away
The city of Mahatma Gandhi buzzed with anticipation in the days leading up to the finals, as cricket enthusiasts eagerly awaited the "blue festival." However, Australia played the spoiler, dampening the spirits of Indian fans with a brilliant performance that resulted in a resounding victory in the crucial match.
Australia, having recently secured the World Cup trophy, faced India in a T20 series. Setting a challenging target of 209 runs, Australia's top-order batsman, Josh English, showcased brilliance with a century. However, India, in a thrilling encounter, managed to chase down the total with just one ball to spare.
India continued their impressive form against Australia, securing victory in the second T20I match at Thiruvananthapuram, following their recent loss in the ODI World Cup final. Australia's innings concluded at 191 runs for 9 wickets, falling short of India's target of 236 runs by 44 runs.
India secured the series victory against Australia with one match to spare, having lost the third encounter but bouncing back strongly in the fourth ODI to seal the series 3-1. Rinku Singh played a crucial role in steering India to a formidable total after a dynamic start by Yashvi Jaiswal and a powerful performance from Jitesh Sharma. The host nation ultimately triumphed by 20 runs on Friday.
India had already clinched the series with a one-match lead as the fifth and final match of the 5-match T20 series unfolded on Sunday. Although the match seemed routine, Australia failed to secure a win despite a thrilling finish.
Pakistan experienced a resurgence in the Perth Test against Australia on the second day, thanks to an impressive performance by debutant Amer Jamal. After David Warner's brilliant century on the first day propelled Australia to a commanding position, Jamal's exceptional bowling display brought relief for the visitors.
In a jubilant moment at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Indian women's cricket team secured a historic win against Australia, marking their first-ever triumph over the formidable opponents in Test cricket.
In his final Test match, David Warner experienced a fitting farewell as Australia secured a whitewash against Pakistan. Despite his dismissal by Sajid Khan when Australia was 11 runs away from victory in the Sydney Test, Warner's departure was met with a standing ovation at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), acknowledging one of the greatest openers in history. Warner, contributing 57 runs off 75 balls, bid farewell with gratitude, raising both hands in response to the crowd.
Australia has reclaimed the top position in the ICC Test rankings after six months, displacing the reigning ICC Test Championship title holders, India, who now hold the second spot. The ICC released the updated rankings on Friday, reflecting the shifts in team standings. Previously, both teams held a rating of 118, with India leading on points. However, India's rating dropped to 117 following a drawn series against South Africa.
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