A number of allegations have surfaced from various sources regarding the use of malpractices to give India the upper hand. The most recent of which were claims that the Wankhede Stadium field, where India defeated New Zealand in the semifinals, was altered to favour the hosts by using a different surface than one used previously in the competition. The International Cricket Council (ICC) acknowledged that it had been altered, but only after speaking with the organization's outside pitch consultant. They said that scheduled pitch rotations of this kind are typical when long-running events come to a close.
The players themselves don't seem overly bothered by the entire affair, despite worries being expressed about if the Ahmedabad pitch will experience a similar circumstance. Kane Williamson, the captain of New Zealand, stated that Australia's fast bowling ace contributed to their loss, saying that India was simply a superior team that evening. Following their triumph over South Africa in the other semi-final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Mitchell Starc made a cheeky jab. (World Cup Final: ICC Pitch Consultant Atkinson Returns Home As BCCI Curators Monitor Preparations)
"I guess we'll find out when we get to Ahmedabad tomorrow and see if it's a fresh wicket or an old wicket," Starc told reporters when asked about whether Australia have any concerns over the fact that they struggled to chase down a target of 213 against South Africa.
#INDvsAUSfinal #WorldcupFinal #CricketWorldCup2023 Earlier, reports claimed that the Ahmedabad pitch for the World Cup final will be a used one. Mitchell Starc had a cheeky take on the subject during a press conference. pic.twitter.com/dVlzWJDxvQ
— ROBIN cricket news (@ROBINHOODMafia) November 17, 2023
After the Aussies sealed their spot in the final of the ongoing ODI World Cup, which is to be hosted by the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, their bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc reserved high praise for hosts India saying they have been the best team in a tournament so far.
Speaking to media persons after the Baggy Greens scraped to a win over South Africa in the second semifinal at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, Starc invoked the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which was contested between the two teams earlier this year.
Starc said there would be pressure on both finalists during the final. (Not Virat Kohli Or Mohammed Shami, Gautam Gambhir Picks Shreyas Iyer As Biggest Game Changer Of Team India For Cricket World Cup 2023 Final)
"Guys in both changing rooms have been there before in different formats. Both teams played each other in the (World Test Championship) Final earlier in the year. I don't think either changing room is new to big occasions. It's going to be loud. No doubt there's going to be different amounts of pressure at different times on both teams. I think it's just going to be a great spectacle of cricket. They've been the best in the tournament so far, and we both find ourselves in the finals," Starc said.
The Aussie pacer added while his team came up short against the hosts at the league stage of the tournament, he was hopeful of the Baggy Greens going one better against their bitter rivals in the match that matters.
"We played them in our first game of the tournament; now we get to take them on in the last. What a place to be at the end of a World Cup," he added.
In the league encounter with Australia, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli lifted the hosts out of a precarious situation to clinch a nervy, six-wicket win in Chennai.
However, the hosts, who remained unbeaten through the tournament's league phase, stormed into the final after handing New Zealand, their nemesis from the 2019 semifinal, a 70-run defeat in the final-four clash at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
Australia, on the other hand, defeated South Africa by three wickets in the second semi-final on Thursday to book their passage to the final. (With ANI inputs)
