It was a thrilling showdown at The Oval on Sunday, June 11, as Australia unleashed an unstoppable force and crushed India’s hopes of a miraculous comeback on the final day of the World Test Championship (WTC).
Fired up and determined, the Australian team delivered a stunning performance, clinching a 209-run victory.
Congratulations, Australia! ????????
A roaring victory in the ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final ????#WTC23 | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/VE01bWheMQ
— ICC (@ICC) June 11, 2023
Australia’s bowlers, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon, played pivotal roles during the fourth innings, collectively claiming seven wickets to dismiss India for 234.
Meanwhile, Travis Head emerged as the player of the match after scoring an impressive score of 163 in the first innings and 18 in the second.
Head described the win as “amazing” and attributed their win to lots “of hard work over the [last] two years”.
Cricket World Cup ✅
T20 World Cup ✅
Champions Trophy ✅
World Test Championship ✅The all-conquering Australia have now won every ICC Men’s Trophy ???? pic.twitter.com/YyzL8NSvTF
— ICC (@ICC) June 11, 2023
Australia’s dominant performance in the two-year World Test Championship cycle, losing only three out of 20 Tests, secured their spot in the highly anticipated final.
Elated Australian captain Pat Cummins says he and the team plan to savour their latest win before they prepare for the upcoming Ashes Test on Friday, June 16.
Latest Cricket Updates: Australia Clinches World Test Championship Title with a Thrilling Victory
— NewsGo (@News5Go) June 11, 2023
“I think we’ll sit around in the changing rooms for a while, and then we’ll find a nice sunny English beer garden somewhere probably this afternoon to sit back and celebrate,” he said.
“It’s been an amazing two years. We’ve had this final in the diary for a while. It’s been something that we’ve been building up for, so it’s something we’re going to savour. I know we’ve got a big series, but we can worry about that in a couple of days’ time.
“You only get a few of these moments in your career where you can sit back [and] acknowledge a pretty special achievement and that’s one of these times”
The team had previously won matches against Pakistan 1-0, and drawing 1-1 in Sri Lanka, and faced a close defeat against India 2-1.
This defeat marks India’s second loss in a World Test Championship final, following their previous defeat to New Zealand in 2021.
With their triumph in the World Test Championship, Australia has finally secured the one major men’s cricket title that had eluded them.
This historic victory marks a significant milestone in their cricketing journey. Now the team is setting their sights on another prestigious challenge as they prepare to defend the Ashes in a thrilling five-Test series against England.