One of the moments that underlined Scott Boland’s fast bowling during the WTC Final, 2023, was getting Virat Kohli out in the second innings. Kohli, fighting with Ajinkya Rahane, was almost the last significant obstacle for Australia en route to victory. The big breakthrough came when Boland produced a perfectly delivered ball to entice Kohli into driving; full and wide, it invited the Indian captain to try an ambitious shot, which he edged to Steve Smith at second slip.
This wicket was a big turning point in the game, as the fall of Kohli triggered a collapse in the batting order for India. Just two balls later, Ravindra Jadeja followed Kohli back to the pavilion, and India’s position turned from precarious to dire in no time.
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Speaking to the ICC about this turning point, Boland spoke about how important the wicket of Kohli was in setting up Australia’s historic victory. “It was the start of Day Five, and though we still felt the pitch was good enough for India to chase the runs, getting Kohli out early was imperative. It set the tone for the rest of the day, and put us on course for the win,” Scott Boland said.
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Scott Boland was not that bad either in the final game. He picked five wickets in the game, having registered 2-59 in the first innings and 3-46 in the second. His important wickets included Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, which was vital in the supremacy of Australia.
Despite the fighting 49 off 78 balls from Virat Kohli, India folded up for 234 way below the target of 444 runs. Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma too fought valiantly but could not convert their starts into a match-winning score.
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Australia, who first-innings commanding a total of 469 runs rode on centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith while Indian bowlers struggled to make any impact. Although Mohammed Siraj and others put up some fight, Australians were in control throughout and declared the second innings at 270-8 with an easy win.
