Cricket World Cup History: Australia's XI in 2003 World Cup final - Where are they now?
Australia’s 2003 World Cup winning squad was a dream team that few fans will ever forget. From fiery openers to pace bowlers, the team had them all. They had won the world cup four years earlier under Steve Waugh and now it was time for the new captain, Ricky Ponting to prove the might of the Kangaroos once again. 28-year-old Ponting justified his nomination as the captain as Australia won the World Cup winning all eleven matches and becoming the only nation to win the World Cup thrice.
Australia started the final with a bang as Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to field, a decision he will regret his life. The innings started with an expensive over from Zaheer Khan and there was no looking back from there. Ponting lead from the front with a captain’s knock of 140 from 121 balls to pile up a total of 359 runs. India lost wickets at quick intervals as Mcgrath and Lee dismissed the top order in quick succession. In the end, India lost the final by 125 runs.
Few can recollect Australia’s playing eleven of that match but let us take a look at what they are doing now.
Openers: Adam Gilchrist & Mathew Hayden
Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden was an explosive opening pair back in Australia’s golden era in Cricket. The duo’s outrageous batting in the opening over’s set the tone for the upper and middle order to score freely. Gilchrist finished the tournament with 405 runs with a strike rate of 105.00 and Hayden assisted him the same throughout the tournament.
Post-retirement, Gilchrist is now an ambassador to various corporations. The companies include Amway Australia, TFS Corporation, World Vision. The veteran wicketkeeper has also tried his hand at commentary when he joined his fellow former teammate, Ricky Ponting in Nine Network and Channel Ten.
Apart from cricket, Hayden has been a fan of cooking. He is an ambassador of World Youth Day and Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. He is also working with the Cricket Board of Australia in raising the popularity of the sport among the indigenous population of that country.
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