Australia pacer Mitchell Starc is ready to play against the hosts India in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final. The veteran has also admitted that facing the unbeaten Indian team will be a daunting task. However, Team India have arguably been the best team in the 2023 World Cup, topping the group stage with nine wins before beating New Zealand convincingly in the semi-finals as well. With most players in great form across departments, they look to lift the trophy.
At a press conference following Australia’s three-wicket win over South Africa in the second semi-final, Starc said, “It’s why we play the game. We want to take on the best. They’ve been the best in the tournament so far and we both find ourselves in the final. That’s what World Cups are about. You want to take on the best throughout and we certainly come up against a team that have obviously led from the front through the tournament and they’re undefeated. We played them in the first game of the tournament, now we get to take them on in the last. So yeah, what a place to be at the end of a World Cup!”
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However, Team India had got the better of Australia earlier in the tournament in Chennai, dismissing them for 199. In reply, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul struck fifties to help India win after losing early wickets. Starc, who claimed three scalps against South Africa, felt good to scalp wickets in the powerplay phase. And, he hopes to continue in the same form in the final as well. The final will take place in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
“It’s probably not been the tournament I would have liked from the get-go, but it’s nice to step up in a big game. And I think our powerplay was probably what got us on our way. There were other key moments through the day with bat and ball,” he said.”But to start the game like that with Joshie and I, powerplay wickets have probably been not our strong suit through the tournament so it’s nice to have a powerplay of, what, two for 18, or something like that,” Mitchell Starc concluded.
