Australia hands India a massive 209-run defeat in the WTC Final 2023 at the Oval; First team to win all ICC trophies
Pat Cummins and company defeated India by 209 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2023 on Sunday at The Oval, prolonging their hunt for the coveted ICC crown. Australia won the match in the first play session of the last day when India, which required 444 to win in the second innings, was bowled out for 234 runs.
Australia took control of the game from Day 1, scoring 469 runs in the first innings thanks to Travis Head and Steve Smith centuries. In response to the top order’s lacklustre performance, India was able to save the follow-on thanks to a valiant 89 by Ajinkya Rahane and crucial contributions from Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja.
WTC Final 2023: Australia pushed Indian efforts aside to become the first team ever to win all ICC trophies
In the second innings, India showed signs of recovery, but a 93-run partnership between Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc helped the Aussies reach 270/8 before declaring the innings. India scored 164/3 at the end of Day 4’s play while chasing 444. Then, on the last day, Scott Boland handed Australia the ideal start by dismissing both Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in the same over. Steve Smith nabbed Kohli at slips for 49 while also catching Jadeja behind for a duck. Rahane took a couple strokes after that before being replaced by Mitchell Starc for 46.
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Shardul Thakur, who had a half-century in the first innings, was unable to start the innings. The wickets continued falling, and Nathan Lyon delivered the decisive blow to give Australia the victory.
With this, Pat Cummins-led Australia maiden World Test Championship title to become the first team ever to win all ICC Trophies in all three formats.
Australia hold the honour of having won the most ICC championships in the history of cricket, having won the title a record nine times, with no other side having won more than this.
On the other hand, this was India’s second defeat in successive WTC finals after losing to New Zealand in 2021 in the inaugural edition.
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