Pat Cummins hopes familiarity with Indian conditions will help Australia in ODI World Cup 2023 Final

The cricketing world holds its breath as two titans of the sport, India and Australia, prepare to lock horns in the much-anticipated Cricket World Cup final tomorrow. The stage is set for a thrilling encounter at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where the two cricketing giants will fight each other for the coveted title.

India heads into the World Cup final riding an impressive ten-match winning streak, with most victories being convincing displays of their dominance. While they faced challenges in a few encounters, including the semi-final against New Zealand, their ability to overcome adversity has been a hallmark of their campaign. Despite facing immense pressure from Kane Williamson's team, India maintained their composure and emerged victorious. With their sights set on the trophy, India will be seeking one final push to end their ten-year wait for international glory.

Australia enters the World Cup final with a burning desire to reclaim their lost glory, having last held the trophy in 2015. Despite a rocky start to the tournament, losing their opening two matches, the Aussies have exhibited remarkable resilience, emerging victorious in every match since. Their semi-final against South Africa was a gripping affair, a nail-biting contest that went down to the wire. However, the five-time champions held their nerve and edged past a resilient South African unit.

Indian pitch becomes a topic of discussion

India and Australia, the two most dominant teams of the tournament, will clash in the final before a roaring crowd. However, in the lead-up to this marquee match, the pitch has once again become a topic of discussion. It is believed that the final will be played on a used pitch rather than a fresh one. In the pre-match press conference, Australian captain Patrick Cummins was questioned about the controversy surrounding allegations of pitch manipulation by BCCI. The decision to use a used pitch has raised eyebrows, with some questioning its fairness.

When asked about the claims made on India with regards to doctoring the pitch, Cummins dismissed the question and said that the Aussies have enough experience of playing in Indian conditions and that should hold them in good stead heading into the final. 

"It’s obviously the same for both teams. No doubt playing on your own wicket in your own country has some advantages, similar to wickets that you’ve been playing your whole life. But we’ve played a lot of cricket over here. So, we’ll be ready in terms of anything they’ll throw at us. Yeah, we’ll wait and see, but we’ll make sure we have some plans”, Cummins said.