Australia wobble, Head hits ton in pursuit of World Cup final victory
Australia star batsman Steve Smith was dismissed for just four as India fought back with the ball in the World Cup final at Ahmedabad on Sunday whilst Travis Head hit a hundred as his team closed in on a record-extending sixth title.
Jasprit Bumrah deceived Smith with a slower ball that had the right-hander lbw, the India paceman celebrating wildly with his team-mates as a near full house of around 130,000 fans erupted with joy.
Smith decided against a review and his exit left Australia 47-3 from seven overs, chasing a target of 241 to win a record-extending sixth one-day international World Cup title.
Australia were 60-3 at the 10-over mark, with opener Travis Head 19 not out and Marnus Labuschagne yet to get off the mark.
Earlier, India, bidding for a third World Cup title and second on home soil after their 2011 triumph, were dismissed for 240 after being sent into bat.
Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc took 3-55 and Australia captain Pat Cummins a miserly 2-34 in his maximum 10 overs.
KL Rahul top-scored with 66 but hit only one boundary in 107 balls.
Key batsman Virat Kohli made 54 after India captain Rohit Sharma struck a fluent 47 off just 31 balls opening the innings.
HEAD HITS WORLD CUP FINAL HUNDRED
Australia's Travis Head hit a hundred in the World Cup final as his team closed in on a record-extending sixth title.
Australia were wobbling at 47-3 in pursuit of a target of 241 against unbeaten tournament hosts India.
But left-handed opener Head's 95-ball century, including 14 fours and a six, helped take them to 185-3 in the 34th over.
INDIA: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wkt), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
AUSTRALIA: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wkt), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (captain), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
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