In the sixth edition of the Cricket World Cup’s trophy, the winner was an “Australia in the style of Travis” which defeated India by six wickets among about 125.000 bewildered fans at the stadium “Narendra Modi
In this case, Head played on behalf of Australia and scored a game winning 137 runs when both teams had lost just three wickets by the time game came to an end. At one point, Australia lost 3 wickets leaving them at 57 runs after they opened their batting.
With steady hands being supported by Marnus Labuschagne (58), the ship was steered through rough times as they eventually won despite head falling with only 2 runs needed.
That made him the third Australian to score a century in Men’s world cup finals after Ricky Ponting (2003) and Adam Gilchrist (2007).
There were however challenges with this decision because the opening, who played a huge role in Australia’s semifinal win against South Africa and in the World Test Championship final at The Oval earlier in the year, took an extremely difficult dive catch to remove his opponent, the Indian captain Rohit sharma.
In fact, while Maxwell’s wicket at that stage offered launching pad for Aussies to demolish Indian mid-line, it was Head who sealed the deal with his batting.
The quality of his innings was the kind of stuff from a truly matured master who had never thought to be in such situation and this World Cup would have never happened in the event that he fractured the hand.
As said by team’s opening partner David Warner, it was a magnificent move of Australian team’s selectors.
Warner commented, “What an amazing turnaround from Heady.”
“Being injured in South Africa, back and scoring one hundred in his first match returning and hitting a hundred here now for a packed crowd is truly extraordinary.”
Cummin somehow refused to believe it.
Cummins further commented, “Its amazing and the un-heralded few…the selectors who backed him in the first place as well as the medical team to get him back.”
“It was a big risk and it paid off.”
Against India, Head’s wicket was threatened early and often as opening bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami hooped the ball around and moved it off the seam in slick night-time conditions.
Warner barely survived Bumrah’s opening over, edging one through the slip cordon, but the signs were more positive for Head and a harbinger of things to come as he twice crushed India’s opening quick through the off side for boundaries.
However, Warner was gone the next over, nicking one off Shami to be caught at slip by Virat Kohli for seven.
Mitch Marsh came in and immediately went after the pair and, even though he looked to be in good touch, he nicked a straight ball from Bumrah to be caught behind for a run-a-ball 15.
Steve Smith came in to help right the ship but he too struggled and when Bumrah rapped him on the pads with a big shout, Smith was given LBW.
This was a rare case where the old captain liked an appeal but did not send it to the television umpire, after replays showed that he was padded slightly outside the line of off stump and would have been spared.
This might have proved crucial with Australia on 3-47, but in the end it turned out to be only an interesting remark.
The pair ensured head did not go into a frenzy after it was joined by Marnus Labuschagne at the crease.
However, Labuschagne has always loved dropping anchor, but then again Head is always happy with playing an aggressive role.
Australia scored only 50 runs in the overs after Smith’s dismissal, as the duo were settling down. The careful Labuschagne scored just 10 of them (out of those runs).
However, nothing was more appropriate than that.
By this time, head had surpassed his 50 and started to loosen up the chains albeit slowly, and as that took place Aussies’ confidence gathered speed and runs to be chased dwindled but in the 28 over tragedy nearly occurred.
Bumrah rapped Labuschagne on his pads but right on Kookaburka logo; India reviewed that not out decision.
DRS did not find that ball bouncing off the prettiest part of leg stumps but still short enough not to dismiss the match.
Head, already on 80, quickened that run rate and blew India’s very last puff, for real.
He only reached it in a few overs, but when he did, he turned on the attack against Kuldeep Yadav and raised his hundred with eleven runs off the thirty-fourth over as Australia got back to just under 50 of the total.
The rope was easier for Head to locate on each throw and he became bolder, pushing further to clear the boundary with greater frequency. As Labuschange inched ever closer, it gradually looked as if he might soon surpass his 50 goal.
It looked like it will be Head’s turn to repeat what Gilchrist did in 2007 by carrying bat to the edge of the rope and holing out with just two runs left to win the game.
That was of little significance because Maxwell promptly scored a win.
Of course, Head played out this role by saying that he could not think he was a class of Gilchrist/Ponting person though he was happy.
“You can count me third on that list. Nice one to join,” joked Head off Australian millionaires who took part in the World Cup’s final match.
“It would have been hard to imagine achieving hundred, I even can’t imagine grabbing on to this one catch that dismissed Sharma…, nice holding this very crucial thing”.
Having done that, he gave Labusquagne his due after they scored a staggering 192 runs together for fourth wicket.
“I was kinda scared, but Marnus played terrific,” said Head.
“To bat with him was absolutely splendid; absorbing all the pressure. I had a great partnership.”
Labuschagne, who felt that he might be excluded from the game. Only after the Australian coaches examined the arena, did they learn that Labuschagne was included.
I told him that Travis put on a hell of show, and it was good to do it together, he replied.
Pace trio set up victory
A batsman might have given the victory but he was prepared by the Australian pace brigade.
Surprisingly, when Cummins opted to field after winning the coin toss, everyone thought it was bad judgement. In fact, Sharma and Kohli seemed in the groove, taking India to 176 for 1, but the former then fell victim out
The wicket took of Shubman Gill along with Shreyas Iyer at a relatively low score of India 3-81 made India looked shaky. However, Kohli and KL Rahul had appeared to hold India’s ship steady again.
And then there went the big wicket of India’s talisman and the runs’ king in the tournament -Kohli, when he gave a horizontal bat to a Cummins bouncer only for the ball to chop on his wicket.
Kohli, later crowned Player of the Tournament, looked on in disbelief at his dismissal for 54 as Cummins (2-34) leapt for joy.
Rahul was left to try and rescue India and his steady 66 was their top score but, when he fell after edging Mitchell Starc (3-55) to Josh Inglis, India were 6-203 and in trouble.
Josh Hazlewood got both Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, while Starc took the wicket of Shami as Australia’s pace trio took seven of the 10 wickets.
Cummins’s decision to bowl had been vindicated and he said he was relieved.
“Tonight, we thought it was a good night to chase down … we thought it [the pitch] might get a bit easier to play later,” he said.
“I thought everyone adjusted pretty well and bowled some tight lines.”
That they did, as they handed a shocked India a loss they never expected and Sharma said Australia made all the right moves.
“Honestly, we were not good enough today,” he said.
“We tried everything we could, but the wicket got slightly better to bat under lights.”
Travis Head is player of the match
Travis Head, who was named the best player in the match, expressed his disbelief at the success he experienced in both today’s game and the previous World Test Championship final. He never expected such a turn of events and was overjoyed to be a part of the thrilling day.
He highlighted the contrast between being actively involved in the match and sitting at home on the couch, emphasizing his gratitude for everything going well and the support from his teammates. Head admitted feeling nervous initially but praised Marnus Labuschagne’s brilliant batting and their amazing partnership.
Head credited Mitch Marsh for setting the tone of the game with his aggressive play, and he mentioned that the decision to bowl first turned out to be a wise one as the pitch improved throughout the day. He acknowledged his role in the team’s success and is looking forward to celebrating in the coming days.
Reflecting on a remarkable catch opportunity against Rohit Sharma, Head admitted he was probably the luckiest person in the world for not being able to hold onto it. He acknowledged the importance of hard work in catching but was realistic about the difficulty of that particular moment, expressing that it’s something he can look back on with a smile in the future.
Travis Head deserve this award.
