ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Australia Won in India, Travis Head 137 in Final vs India at Ahmedabad

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 was the thirteenth edition of the tournament and was hosted entirely in India at venues including Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bangalore), and others in October and November 2023. India, captained by Rohit Sharma, were the tournament hosts and came in with the most powerful home-conditions batting lineup in world cricket — Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul — alongside an exceptional bowling attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. Australia, captained by Pat Cummins, were the defending champions (having won in 2015 and with a strong pedigree in ICC events) and came into the tournament with experienced match-winners in Steve Smith, David Warner, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, and Mitchell Starc.

Glenn Maxwell's 201 Not Out Against Afghanistan

Before the final, the defining individual performance of the 2023 World Cup was Glenn Maxwell's 201 not out against Afghanistan in Mumbai on 7 November 2023. Australia were 91 for 7, chasing 292 — effectively 6 wickets down with 200 runs still needed — when Maxwell, who had been suffering from leg cramps throughout the innings, batted on. He scored 201 not out from 128 balls (21 sixes, 10 fours), taking Australia from 91 for 7 to 293 for 9. The innings required Maxwell to hit boundaries despite being unable to run and taking pain medication mid-over. It is universally described as the greatest ODI innings in World Cup history. Australia were near certain losers at 7 wickets down; Maxwell's innings won the match from an apparently impossible position.

The Final: Travis Head's 137 Beats India

The final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 19 November 2023 — in front of a crowd of approximately 132,000, the largest attendance for a cricket match in history — was the most anticipated cricket match since the 2011 World Cup final at the same city. India batted first and scored 240 for 10 in 50 overs — below their average, on a pitch that offered early assistance to the bowlers. Australia's chase began poorly: Mitchell Marsh was dismissed for 15, and David Warner for 7. At 47 for 3, Australia needed 193 more with 7 wickets remaining. Travis Head, batting at number three, took the attack to the Indian bowling. He scored 137 from 120 balls — hitting Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj for boundaries and sixes through the off side. Head reached his century from 96 balls and took Australia from 47 for 3 to a winning position, with Marnus Labuschagne contributing 58 not out. Australia won by 6 wickets with 42 balls remaining. India's tournament record — 10 wins from 10 in the group stage, then both semi-finals — made the final result one of the most discussed in World Cup history.