India and Australia are set to clash in the final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup on Sunday at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedaabd.
Australia captain Pat Cummins has officially announced that the highly anticipated World Cup 2023 final between Australia and India will take place on a previously used pitch. This historic event will unfold at the magnificent Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the largest cricket stadium in the world. Despite recent reports suggesting that India had altered the pitch in Mumbai just before their semi-final against New Zealand to favor their spinners, Cummins remained unfazed and echoed a similar sentiment leading up to the grand finale on Sunday.
Cummins confidently stated that the pitch for the final will be identical to the one India encountered during their clash with Pakistan on October 14.
"Yeah, just had a look. I'm not a great pitch reader, but it looked pretty firm. They've only just watered it, so yeah, give it another 24 hours and have a look, but it looks like a pretty good wicket," Cummins said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.
The only match Pakistan played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in this World Cup was against India. The pitch proved to be quite challenging, with its hardness causing the ball to slow down as the game progressed. Pakistan initially had a strong start in the match, but their momentum was shattered by the formidable duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj during the middle overs, resulting in their dismissal for a mere 191 runs.
In response, India began their innings with a blazing start, courtesy of Rohit Sharma's fearless hitting during the powerplay. Shreyas Iyer also contributed significantly by scoring a well-deserved half-century. With 7 wickets still in hand, India successfully chased down the target in just 30.3 overs, showcasing their dominance in the game.
If the pitch behaves similarly, the toss could once again prove to be a crucial factor. The team winning the toss would prefer to field first, taking advantage of the better batting conditions under the lights. Both India and Australia boast formidable pace attacks, capable of making the new ball work wonders.
Cummins emphasized that the key to success for a fast bowler in Indian conditions lies in striking the perfect balance between slower balls, bouncers, and seam-up deliveries.
"I think, similar to a lot of ODI cricket in general the ball obviously swings for a few overs but after that there's not much swing, so you've got to try and create wickets in other ways. It's not necessarily catches behind the wicket like you might have in Australia. You've got to be brave with some of the balls you use, slower balls, bouncers, you've got to find that balance between mixing it up but also not go chasing too much. I think we've struck that balance pretty well and at least over here in India a lot of time by the end of the innings, things like cutters work perhaps better than it does elsewhere in the world," he said.
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