The Cricket World Cup, officially termed the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup commonly known as the World Cup, stands as the paramount international championship for One Day International (ODI) cricket. It is organized every four years by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of the sport. The tournament includes preliminary qualification rounds leading to a finals event. Acknowledged by the ICC as the “flagship event of the international cricket calendar,” the Cricket World Cup holds the distinction of being one of the most widely viewed sporting events globally. Recognized as the pinnacle championship in the realm of cricket, it garners substantial attention, making it a significant event for cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
India vs Australia World Cup 2023 Final
India has secured a spot in the ICC World Cup 2023 final, set to take place on November 19 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The last time India reached a World Cup final, it was under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, resulting in a victorious campaign. This time around, Rohit Sharma is at the helm. Fans have drawn comparisons between the upcoming final and the 2003 World Cup final, where Sourav Ganguly captained India against Australia in Johannesburg. Australia posted a substantial score of 359/2 in 2003, featuring Ricky Ponting’s 140, Virender Sehwag’s 82, and Rahul Dravid’s 47. India was dismissed for 234.
While fans hope for a different outcome than the 2003 final, they have noted several parallels between the two events. In 2003, Rahul Dravid took on the role of India’s makeshift wicket-keeper and performed admirably, scoring 318 runs in 11 matches. Interestingly, in the current scenario in 2023, KL Rahul has assumed the wicket-keeping duties due to Rishabh Pant’s injury, accumulating 386 runs in 10 matches. Furthermore, just as Rahul Dravid was the vice-captain in 2003, KL Rahul has been appointed as the vice-captain in the present tournament following Hardik Pandya’s withdrawal.
Australia maintained an impeccable record throughout the 2003 Cricket World Cup, securing victories in both the group stages and knockout games, ultimately clinching the championship. In a parallel development, India replicated this feat in 2023, entering the final with an undefeated streak in 10 consecutive matches. It’s worth noting that when Australia faced India in the 2003 final, they too had won 10 consecutive matches. In 2003, Rajkumar Hirani released “Munna Bhai MBBS” in December (on the 19th). This year, a similar pattern emerges as Hirani is set to release another film, “Dunki,” featuring Shah Rukh Khan, on December 22. This is noteworthy given Hirani’s known pace in producing films. Moreover, in 2003, the central government in India was led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister. Interestingly, in 2023, the BJP is once again in power at the center, creating a political parallel between the two periods.
