Starc reveals Australia's blueprint for Ahmedabad pitch

In a significant turn of events during the World Cup 2023 final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, India faced a setback as they experienced their first dismissal in the tournament.

Struggling on a sluggish pitch, the Indian team found it challenging to build runs beyond the initial powerplay, eventually getting bowled out for a total of 240 runs.

The Australian pacers played a pivotal role, collectively securing 7 wickets. Mitchell Starc emerged as the standout performer, claiming 3 wickets for 55 runs in his 10 overs.

Starc's critical dismissal of the set KL Rahul in the 42nd over dealt a significant blow to India's hopes of achieving a substantial score on the demanding pitch. Demonstrating skillful use of reverse swing, Starc executed an away-swinger from around the wicket to send Rahul back to the pavilion.

Reflecting on the mid-innings situation, Starc shared insights into Australia's anticipation of a dry and slow pitch. Despite conceding 80 runs in the first 10 overs, the Australian bowlers successfully tightened their grip on the game, allowing only four boundaries for the remainder of the innings and asserting control effectively.

Starc expressed satisfaction with the team's bowling effort, acknowledging the inherent challenge posed by the seam-unfriendly wicket.

Commending the resilience of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, he recognised the difficulty of batting on such a pitch. Starc expressed hope for assistance from dew and stressed the importance of batsmen applying themselves diligently in these challenging conditions.

In his remarks, Starc emphasised the significance of the new ball, stating, 'This is the World Cup; it is about how much you want it. The new ball will be the key as it's easy to score when the ball is harder. Let's see, and we are up for it to chase this down,' concluding on an optimistic note regarding Australia's pursuit of the target.

• World Cup 2023