Can India Script Win Against Australia to Clinch ICC World Cup 2023? Check Statistics

In the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, has secured a spot in the finals after defeating Kane Williamson's Team New Zealand in the semi-final. Topping the points table with 18 points and a net run rate (NRR) of 2.570.

Recapping India's journey, they sailed smoothly through the group stages, and in the 37th game at Eden Gardens, they dominated South Africa, setting a target of 326/5 and dismissing the Proteas for 83 runs in 27 overs, resulting in a massive 243-run victory. In the encounter against Australia at MA Chidambaram Stadium, India chased down Australia's target of 199 runs, winning by 6 wickets with KL Rahul declared as the player of the match.

Looking at the historical records, Australia, with five World Cup titles, has twice defeated South Africa in the semi-final stage in 1999 and 2007. On the other hand, South Africa has never advanced beyond the semi-finals in the tournament.

Examining historical records, Australia, boasting five World Cup titles, has twice triumphed over South Africa in the semi-final stage in 1999 and 2007. Contrarily, South Africa has never progressed beyond the semi-finals in the tournament.

In head-to-head World Cup clashes, India and South Africa have met six times, with South Africa winning three matches and India emerging victorious twice. South Africa claimed victories in 1992, 1999, and 2011, while India secured triumphs in 2015 and 2019. In the 12 Men's ODI World Cup encounters between India and Australia, Australia has secured eight victories, while India has emerged victorious four times in the years 1983, 1987, 2011, and 2019.

Let's take a stroll down memory lane to revisit India's previous World Cup final appearances:

1983 Prudential Cup:

Under the new captaincy of Kapil Dev, India emerged as surprise finalists. Despite a shaky start in the group stage, including a shocking victory against two-time champion West Indies, India qualified for the semi-finals. Kapil Dev's iconic innings of 175 not out against Zimbabwe turned the tide, and India defeated Australia to reach the final. Facing the mighty West Indies in the title clash at Lord's, India defended a modest total of 183 runs, securing their maiden World Cup title.

2003 Cricket World Cup:

Led by Sourav Ganguly, India reached the final against a formidable Australian team boasting talents like Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath. Australia set a daunting target of 359 runs in the final at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Despite valiant efforts from Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, and others, India fell short, and Australia lifted their record third World Cup title.

2011 World Cup:

The World Cup returned to India, and the team, featuring stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni, triumphed over Australia and Pakistan in the quarter-final and semi-final, respectively. In the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Sri Lanka set a target of 275 runs. Gautam Gambhir's resilient innings and MS Dhoni's unbeaten 91 guided India to victory, securing their second World Cup title.

2023 World Cup:

In the current World Cup, India has enjoyed a dream run, defeating New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Pakistan convincingly in the round-robin matches. In the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium, India posted an imposing total of 397/4, propelled by Virat Kohli's record 50th ton and Shreyas Iyer's back-to-back century. Despite a spirited recovery by New Zealand, Mohammed Shami's exceptional spell of 7/57 ensured India's comfortable 70-run victory. As India heads to the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, they await the winners of the semi-final between South Africa and Australia at Eden Gardens on Thursday. With an unbeaten streak of 10 wins, India is aiming to add another World Cup title to their illustrious cricket history.