The final of the 2003 ODI Cricket World Cup was contested between India and Australia. After India won the toss in the title clash in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 23, batting first, Australia made a huge total of 359 runs for the loss of 2 wickets.
Captain Ricky Ponting scored 140 not out for Australia.
Chasing a target of 360 runs, India were bowled out for 234 runs in 39.2 overs and were defeated by a wide margin of 125 runs.
Australia have since become World Cup champions five times, defeating Sri Lanka in the 2007 final and New Zealand in the 2015 final.
India won their second title in 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka in the title clash at home.
India and Australia are facing each other for the title for the first time since 2003. Team India and Australia are going to face each other for the 2023 ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Australia is going to play the final of the World Cup for the eighth time and it has won this trophy five times.
India is playing the World Cup final for the fourth time. India became the champion twice but once in 2003 had to settle for being the runner-up.
India’s record against Australia in ODI cricket is not good.
Both teams have played 150 ODIs so far, with Australia ahead of India (57 wins) with 83 wins.
Both the teams have played 13 matches against each other in the World Cup and here too Australia is leading 8-5.
There is a tough rivalry between these two teams on Indian soil. In the 71 ODIs played in India, both the teams have won 33-33 matches each. Also, out of 7 matches played between the two teams this year, India has won four matches.
India is undefeated in the ongoing World Cup. India has won 10 matches in a row, including nine in the group stage and the semi-finals. Australia lost to India and South Africa in the group stage. Australia has taken revenge by defeating South Africa by 3 wickets in the semi-finals.
Middle order and all bowlers have been in full form since India’s opening.
Virat Kohli has scored 711 runs so far. He is currently on top of the list of highest run-scorers in the World Cup. India’s Rohit Sharma (550 runs) and Shreyas Iyer (526 runs) are also scoring runs continuously.
On the other hand, David Warner, the highest run scorer for Australia, has scored 528 runs, while Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh have also scored two centuries each.
In bowling, Mohammed Sami of India has taken 23 wickets in 6 matches, while Australian spinner Adam Zampa (22 wickets) is only one wicket away from him.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah (18), Ravindra Jadeja (16), Kuldeep Yadav (15 wickets) and Mohammad Siraj (13 wickets) have taken. Australia’s Jos Hazlewood (14 wickets) and Mitchell Starc (13 wickets) are not far behind. Both can take wickets for the team in every situation.
So it is expected to be a tough competition in the final of this World Cup.
The Indian team last won the World Cup under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni 12 years ago by defeating Sri Lanka.
India won this prestigious trophy for the first time in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev.
But it will not be so easy for India to defeat Australia. Australia is planning to become the champion for the sixth time.
Australia last won the title in 2015. Australia became champions in 1999, 2003 and 2007 and set a record for a hat-trick of titles.
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