Cricket World Cup 2023 Final - India v Australia: Travis Head's big day out breaks Indian hearts

After 45 pool games and two semi-finals, the Big Dance is finally here: Australia, India, Ahmedabad, 130,000 people in the crowd and more than a billion watching from afar.
In this episode of the show, Baldy, Raj and Stu look review the final, discussing the key players and moments.
We talk the toss, the powerplays, Pat Cummins as a bowler and a captain, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Travis Head's catch and his innings, Marnus Labuschagne's tournament and the hurt the Indian players and fans must be feeling after what has been a brilliant World Cup up until this point. But of course, the spoils go to the victors, so there's plenty of praise for Australia and the way they built into this tournament after a difficult start, and produced their best performance when it mattered most.
We'll be back again in a few days' time to look back at the tournament as a whole and shine a light on some of our favourite moments. Until then, please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & KZbin) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.
You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including a recent conversation with Mike Hesson, plus chats with former World Cup stars Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world.
And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at [e-mail].
Thanks for listening.

[@robinblackwood8859]

Cummins deserves huge kudos for his captaincy. I've sometimes thought he was too nice to be a good captain ( not an accusation you level at Steve Waugh or Alan Border with any degree of certainty) but he got just about everything right today, who to bring on and when, slowing the scoring down considerably. When I saw that India were batting first I automatically assumed that they'd won the toss and wondered if the defining moment of the match was the coin toss. When Rohit started to get away I thought here we go- trouble. But Australia are very experienced and they don't panic. Maxwell, for all his innings of the tournament, has arguably been just as good with the ball. What a player Travis Head is. Sometimes it takes a player a little time to establish himself internationally ( the rise up from the level immediately below is far bigger than people realise) and Head is 30 on 29th December but he's here to stay in all formats for a long while should he so desire. Glad to see Marnus there at the end in a situation taylor made for him, not having to score quickly just supporting the quicker scoring player. I love Marnus because he is such an old fashioned player( watching him play 20 20 is almost physically painful for me). I mean that as a compliment as someone born over 60 years ago. 50 over matches should mean someone with authentic cricket shots can score good runs without resorting to switch hits and ramps exciting though they are. Well done Australia. Thoroughly well deserved-from a not so whinging Pom. Finally an increase of about 60 per cent subscribers from just a few weeks ago. Well done.

[@thetoporderpodcast]

Thanks Robin - we’re going to miss your daily support! And yes possibly Cummins’ finest moment as a leader in this game - he was excellent.

[@robinblackwood8859]

On a humorous note I won't miss the ending of the World Cup. I've got repetitive strain injury of the index finger from my ridiculously long, rambling posts!

[@JishnuVenkatram]

Pat Cummins and Travis head were amazing Cummins captaincy was amazing Australia were amazing in both semi finals and finals Thanks a lot for your support to all indian fans This means a lot We will stand with you kiwis .. we love you guys Being an Indian my favorite cricketer is kane williamson and Indians can learn something from kane on how to handle defeat and smile and be calm. Indians probably should learn how to be mentally tough like kiwis and aussies Congratulations to vettori !! A kiwi !!

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

pitch wasn't same in evening because of dew itbecame very easy just like first match of Australia inWc they can't even score 200 and india chase easily.there will be swing for first five overs ther

[@thetoporderpodcast]

Yes Kane is all class. Such a great ambassador for this great game!

[@BABJIRAO]

The batting of Travis head was unbelievable. That to with tremendous pressure after Australia loosing three early wickets. With 15 fours and 4 sixes tells of his dominance. He destroyed the Indian bowling.

[@thetoporderpodcast]

Yes it was an amazing display, especially in such a big game

[@pm110978]

Victory of the Ages, Sweet Win By Australia 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

Pitch changed under lights And became good for batting. Same thing happend against netherland match where condition changed and shami bumrah took least wickets same happend in semis and final as well.

[@pm110978]

@@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now Well Congratulations for Cummins to fielding first, Sharna said he would bat first anyways

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@pm110978 it is to create pressure. See his face and congratulations for lucky wins my children

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@pm110978 my son is new to cricket i think

[@thetoporderpodcast]

Congrats!

[@paulrichardson5892]

its all about pressure....

[@thetoporderpodcast]

Yes knockout games are a different beast.

[@stevesteve9899]

Pain for India the Kiwis know about it. Those lost subscribers will come back. Going through the grief stages

[@thetoporderpodcast]

Yes totally understand the pain! People trickling back now, so hopefully :-)

[@pm110978]

When is the Public Holiday in Australia 😅

[@chicorycoffee9639]

heart broken,cummins captaincy, tactics and also luck gave victory.. but best team on that day won..

[@thetoporderpodcast]

Yes tough on the Indian fans - we Kiwis have been there!

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

Best team didn't won. pitch wasn't same in evening because of dew itbecame very easy just like first match of Australia inWc they can't even score 200 and india chase easily.there will be swing for first five overs ther

[@maxmaxwell343]

@@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now😂😂😂😂😂😂 Idiot

[@disturbingdevelopment4308]

Marnus vs. Puffy-chested Stoinis? What a joke. Stoinis is a flat-track bully who shouldn't even be playing State cricket, IMO. If you need someone to photo-bomb the winning runs or knock over tail enders, pick Stoinis; if you want to win games and give the side batting stability, pick Marnus.

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

pitch wasn't same in evening because of dew itbecame very easy just like first match of Australia inWc they can't even score 200 and india chase easily.there will be swing for first five overs ther

[@devshetty7465]

These matches become one sided because of toss, pitch, dew, night light

[@Byronbuzz]

And one team playing really well…

[@jimmythesound7536]

What did the 'night light' have to do with anything? Was it just that the Indian bowlers couldn't see old bin lid T.Head pumping them back over their heads? 😉

[@maxmaxwell343]

India said they would have batted if they’d won the toss, so the toss had sweet FA to do with it.

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@jimmythesound7536 pitch wasn't same in evening because of dew itbecame very easy just like first match of Australia inWc they can't even score 200 and india chase easily.there will be swing for first five overs ther

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@maxmaxwell343 rohit was lying see his face he says that everytime when he looses toss to create pressure

[@dannymcgee7676]

Australia kept their HEAD india clealry didnt 😂😂😂😂😂

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

pitch wasn't same in evening because of dew itbecame very easy just like first match of Australia inWc they can't even score 200 and india chase easily.there will be swing for first five overs ther

[@dannymcgee7676]

@@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now and that has what to do with anything I said?

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@dannymcgee7676 fact that they won by luck and condition cheating

[@dannymcgee7676]

@@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now Australia won by luck? Mate Aussies schooled India on what cricket is

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@dannymcgee7676 schooled india ? By cheating pitch conditions. We schooled you in first match of tournament only way gaystralia won is by cheating

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

Pitch changed under lights And became good for batting. Same thing happend against netherland match where condition changed and shami bumrah took least wickets same happend in semis and final as well.

[@Byronbuzz]

India didn’t bat that well, went into their shells and Australia bowled very well.

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@Byronbuzz Pitch changed under lights And became good for batting. Same thing happend against netherland match where condition changed and shami bumrah took least wickets same happend in semis and final as well.

[@Byronbuzz]

India didn’t bat that well, went into their shells and Australia bowled very well.

[@maxmaxwell343]

India would have batted if they’d won the toss, so 🤷‍♂️

[@my_father_sorry_i_am_lying_now]

@@maxmaxwell343 look at rohits face do u really think he wanted to bat he would know this conditions better