Cricket World Cup Final Tips and Preview, Nov 19
India vs. Australia
19th November
Last time they met: India won by 6 wickets (52 balls left)
Australia will meet their modern-day cricket rivals and market favourites India, in one of the most highly anticipated ICC World Cup Finals on record.
While the Aussies will be playing in their eighth decider since the tournament started in 1975, they will enter the game as $2.74 underdogs with Bet Nation on the back of India’s undefeated campaign.
Andrew McDonald and Pat Cummins’ men made their way into the final with a sensational bowling performance against South Africa in the semi-final, dismissing the Proteas for 212 before making the runs with three wickets and 16 balls to spare.
Mitchell Starc (3/34) and Josh Hazlewood (2/12) hit their straps at the right time of the tournament and reduced SA to 4/24 before Pat Cummins (3/51) and Travis Head (2/21) finished the job. Head’s dominance continued at the top of the order with a quickfire 62 (48), earning him Man of the Match honours and recapturing his form after a three-game streak that amassed just 21 runs.
As for India, they will enter the final as short-priced favourites following the home nation’s 70-run victory over New Zealand. Once again, it was Virat Kohli who led from the front with his 50th ODI century of 117 (113) alongside Shreyas Iyer’s 105 (70) and Shubman Gill’s 80* (66). Kohli, who averages 101.57 this World Cup, has three centuries and scores of 95, 88 and 85 throughout the tournament. It wasn’t enough, however, to claim another MOTM award, with Mohammed Shami starring with the ball and taking 7/57 (9.5).
It was the Indian bowlers who won the game for their side when they met earlier in the tournament, skittling the Aussies for 199 from 49.3 overs.
It’s been 20 years since these two sides last met in the World Cup Final, with Australia dismantling the Indians by 125 runs in South Africa.
However, with four consecutive scores of 357, 326, 410, and 397, the individual form of the Indians batters should be too strong for the Australians, and it’s difficult to see the visitors restricting them to a losing total.
