3 reasons why Australia will beat India in the 2023 World Cup Final
Australia are back to doing what Australia do! The five-time World Cup winners booked their spot in the Final of the 2023 edition with a fighting win over South Africa in the second semifinal at the Eden Gardens.
The Aussies' task won't be easy, by any means. They are up against India, a team who have steamrolled every opposition they have faced so far in the 2023 World Cup. The Men in Blue are riding a 10-match winning streak and also thrashed Australia in the group stage.
However, Pat Cummins and Co. are on an eight-match winning streak of their own and have found their bearings in all three departments. There are many factors that suggest they will be able to add to their decorated World Cup trophy cabinet on Sunday, November 19.
Here are three reasons why Australia will beat India in the 2023 World Cup Final.
#3 Australia's new-ball pace attack looked relentless against South Africa
Just how good were Australia's fast bowlers in the second semifinal against South Africa?
Mitchell Starc set the tone by sending back Temba Bavuma in the very first over. While the left-armer wasn't as consistent as he'd have liked, it was a definite improvement on the way he bowled throughout the league stage.
Starc finished with three wickets, and Pat Cummins chipped in with three of his own. However, the duo were overshadowed by the relentless accuracy of Josh Hazlewood, whose eight overs in the first 17 were simply masterful.
Hazlewood hit the right lengths with scary accuracy and also helped himself to a couple of wickets. If he, along with Starc and Cummins, can replicate what they did in the semifinal, and there are indications that they will be able to, India will be in serious trouble.
#2 The Aussie top order is power-packed
To beat a team with a bowling attack as strong as India's, top-order batters need to play positively. Examples of the same in the 2023 World Cup have been minimal, but New Zealand and the Netherlands were able to put a bit of pressure on the Men in Blue's pace trio by going after them.
David Warner, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh are as destructive as they come. Warner and Head took the game away from South Africa in the semifinal, and they've done it several times before. Marsh, meanwhile, blasted Bangladesh into submission towards the end of the round-robin phase.
More importantly, Warner, Head and Marsh are all exceptional players of pace and swing. Even if they have to counter the Indian pacers under the lights, they will be able to step up to the task.
#1 Batting depth could mean a lot in a game like the World Cup Final
This is one of the biggest differentiating factors between the two sides. While Australia have Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc at No. 8 and No. 9, India's batting abruptly ends at No. 7.
Cummins and Starc have already made a couple of important batting contributions under pressure in the 2023 World Cup. Even Adam Zampa contributed a few runs at No. 10 against England.
India's top and middle order firing on all cylinders has meant that even Suryakumar Yadav, slated to come in at No. 6, hasn't had much work to do with the bat. Neither has Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7, after which the hosts can't expect many runs.
In a high-pressure game like the World Cup Final, having the insurance of a few runs in the lower order could mean a great deal.