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We were not good enough today but I am really proud of the way we have played since day one. Today was not our day. He scored 109 in his first appearance against New Zealand but this innings was on another level as he first dealt with intense pressure before punishing the bowling. Their campaign hit serious jitters early on with defeats in their opening two games, first by India and then South Africa, but they have won the title with nine consecutive victories, beating every team in the tournament in a row. Captain Rohit Sharma gave India a rapid start with 47 from 31 balls, but from 76-1 in the 10th over, Australia applied a stranglehold on India's star-studded batting line-up and did not let go.
Head was caught for 137 from 120 balls with just two runs needed, but Glenn Maxwell flogged the winning runs a ball later while Labuschagne ended 58 not out from 110.
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Player of the match, Australia's Travis Head: "Not in a million years did I think that would happen [being man of the match today and in the World Test Championship final]. What an amazing day. I'm just thrilled to be a part of it. India's total had only just edged past 200 when Rahul departed, with more than eight overs left to bat, and with just a collection of their bowlers left to join Suryakumar at the crease to try and scramble to a match-winning score. Head's innings will take the headlines, but this victory was built on a sensational performance with the ball and a brave decision to bowl first at the toss by Pat Cummins. On the toss: "We were tossing it up. We've been batting first for most of the tournament but we thought tonight was a good chase night because it felt it might a little bit easier and everyone was pretty keen to get out there." The competition begins with Mumbai Indians - the current holders and most successful team in IPL history - facing Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.
Each squad has a maximum of eight overseas (non-Indian) players but no more than four can be selected in a starting XI. It's part of the beauty of this side — they don't all need to fire every game to still get it done. Kohli has not had it easy in the IPL, with Royal Challengers Bangalore still in the hunt for their first ever tournament win. There are eight franchises representing different cities in India, with matches taking place in neutral venues across six cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Smith and Warner are generational talents. Starc a strike bowler, Cummins is Mr Consistent, and Maxwell remains equal parts sublime and ridiculous, but a game-turner nonetheless.
India, meanwhile, were left crestfallen as their bid for a first white-ball title since 2011 - an achievement which looked unstoppable as they made rampant progress through the semi-final and group stage - fell at the final hurdle. On what a par total would have been: "Honestly, 20 or 30 more would have been good. We spoke when KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were batting and they were putting on a good partnership. A weak captain would make a decision that, if it goes wrong and you lose, it makes you look less bad. But he made a really brave decision and the right decision. Warner then edged a wide ball to slip for seven off Mohammed Shami, while Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith both fell to the brilliant Jasprit Bumrah. Australia were contenders when this tournament began, without being tipped by many to go all of the way, just like when they won the 2021 T20 World Cup.
On 99 he would have been run out as he scampered to three figures, had Ravindra Jadeja's throw hit from cover.India batsman Sanju Samson will captain the side after Smith's departure, with England batsman Liam Livingstone also in the squad. In the end, the tail offered precious little and Suryakumar (18) would glove Hazlewood behind in the 48th as India were eventually bowled out for 240 off the final ball of their 50-over allocation. Bumrah has Australia rattled before Head hundred heroics We were desperate in the field, I thought it all started against South Africa last week. The boys were fantastic. We've got an ageing squad but we are still throwing ourselves around. We were really chuffed with 240 because we were happy with anything under 300." Head did not play in the first four games of Australia's campaign because of a broken hand, but Australia kept him in their squad, knowing the match-winning quality he possesses. Things were bleak and the criticism that this team was full of "hit-out or get-out" types was very much real.
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