Steve Smith (4)
Was in good touch when he gloriously drove Bumrah down the ground, but oddly opted not to call for the DRS when adjudged lbw soon after. Replays showed the delivery, which jagged back, hit him outside the line of off stump, so it would have been overturned if he had reviewed the decision. In such a high stakes game, it was odd to not see Smith call for a replay at a critical moment.
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Marnus Labuschagne (centre) lifts the World Cup trophy with Travis Head after their match-defining partnership secured Australia’s win.Credit: AP
Marnus Labuschagne (8)
Matthew Hayden, in commentary, said his fellow Queenslander had been “absolute concrete” in the manner of his defiance at the crease. And it was hard to argue against. Labuschagne is a throw back to yesteryear in that he is a solid ODI batter not particularly worried about strike rates. Rather, it’s about game management and reading the conditions – as he did on this grand night.
Glenn Maxwell (7)
Hit the winning runs when Head was dismissed two shy of victory – but the Victorian was not required to provide batting heroics on this night. Had earlier done the job with the ball. Was brought on in the opening powerplay, and was under pressure when Sharma took to him. Responded with the key wicket of the Indian skipper, caught spectacularly by Travis Head at deep cover.
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Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma had different reactions to Travis Head’s catch.Credit: Getty Images
Josh Inglis (7)
The no-fuss gloveman finished with five catches in what was a fine display in the field by the entire team. Did not bat.
Pat Cummins (9.5)
After his bold call to bowl first, in part to avoid expected dewy conditions at night, the Australian skipper had a tactically brilliant afternoon in the field, for he rotated his bowlers smartly, kept his team calm early, while having a major impact himself after coming on at second change. Was praised widely, including by England’s former Ashes-winning skipper Michael Vaughan.
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Pat Cummins forced Virat Kohli to play a ball on to his stumps when it looked like the Indian talisman had Australia’s attack at his mercy.Credit: AP
Mitchell Starc (8.5)
The tall left-armer is one of this country’s greatest ever white-ball bowlers, and his full armoury was on display when it counted the most (as it was in the semi-final). On a tacky deck, he struck at the top of the order with pace, in the middle and again late, this time using reverse swing from around the wicket.
Josh Hazlewood (8.5)
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Now well and truly over his injury issues, Hazlewood had a fine tournament, and finished with two important middle/lower-order wickets when the hosts had hopes of a revival. Was able to extract reverse swing, benefiting from meticulous line and length, to dismiss Jadeja, while a slower short ball got the better of Suryakumar Yadav.
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Adam Zampa (8)
Was wicketless and expensive when these teams met in the pool phase, but this time had a fine evening with a wicket, that of Jasprit Bumrah, while conceding only one boundary. That he finished the tournament with the equal-most wickets of any spinner in a 50-overs World Cup tournament reinforced why Matthew Hayden dubbed him a “warrior”.
