On Sunday, November 19, a determined Australian team overcame favorites India to win their sixth ODI World Cup in front of over 100,000 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The heartbreaking setback not only terminated India’s undefeated run in the 2023 World Cup, but it also damaged their legitimate aspirations of winning an ICC crown for the first time in a decade. Everything was going well for India until the final, when they only managed 240 runs in the first innings.
Travis Head then delivered a stunning knock of his own, hammering 137 runs to help Australia win the World Cup.
The 13th World Cup, which was completely hosted by India, featured multiple high-scoring encounters in which the bat dominated the ball. While certain batting efforts grabbed the show, several equally impressive knocks remained in the background.
This piece will spotlight some overlooked batting feats. These played an important part in victory, yet they didn’t draw the right level of acclaim.
Let’s look at the five most underappreciated runs from the 2023 ODI World Cup just finished.
5. Rahmanullah Gurbaz – 65 off 53 vs Pakistan in Chennai
Afghanistan was maybe the most emotional team to see at the ODI World Cup in 2023. Throughout the World Cup, the Asian underdogs played mature cricket, defeating England, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands.
The Hashmatullah Shahidi led team also beat Pakistan, which was the most pleasing result for them considering the two countries’ tumultuous past.
Chasing an above-par total of 283 on a slow Chennai pitch, Afghanistan hitters shown excellent application to reach the goal in 49 overs. Opener Ibrahim Zadran, who scored 87, was named Player of the Match for his ability to keep his wicket for the entirety of the innings.
Meanwhile, No. 3 hitter Rahmat Shah smashed a magnificent 77*. However, credit must also be given to Rahmanullah Gurbaz for setting up the pursuit with his blazing 65-ball effort.
Gurbaz began the inning with a four on the first ball against Shaheen Afridi, who is recognized for being a true danger, particularly against right-handed batters. Gurbaz, on the other hand, handled the opening swing by Afridi and Hasan Ali admirably before going wild.
He made up for his shaky start by hitting fifty in just 38 balls. His partner Zadran was able to take his time and construct his innings at his own pace thanks to his nine fours and a six.
Gurbaz struck out runs at a rate of 122.64, the highest among hitters who played more than 30 balls in the match, thanks to nine fours and a single six.
4. Suryakumar Yadav – 49 off 47 vs England in Lucknow
Suryakumar Yadav was one of the uncommon underperformers at the 2023 World Cup. The flashy hitter scored 106 runs in seven innings, averaging 17.66.
Suryakumar, on the other hand, scored over half of those runs in the match against England, scoring 49 runs off 47 balls. India lost wickets at frequent intervals on an exceptionally challenging track in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma delivered his greatest performance of the World Cup, scoring 87 runs to knot India’s innings. He came short of a well-deserved hundred, however, and was out in the 37th over. Suryakumar Yadav stepped in and delivered one of his most vital ODI performances, taking India’s total to 229/9.
He produced some spectacular straight drives and sweeps against spin bowling. Despite his reputation for playing effectively on fast tracks, Suryakumar played brilliantly on the slow surface in Lucknow, scoring 49 runs off 47 balls.
His strike rate of 104.26 was the highest in the game. The Indian bowlers wrecked havoc in the second inning, leading to a stunning 100-run victory.
3. Rohit Sharma – 40 off 24 vs South Africa in Kolkata
Throughout the 2023 World Cup, Rohit Sharma demonstrated selflessness. He came out with the evident intention of leveraging the fielding constraints within the powerplay to put the other team under pressure right away.
He had many appearances for India, including a quick-fire 40 against South Africa at his favorite Eden Gardens. After deciding to bat first, Rohit ensured that his team got off to a flying start.
Knowing that the surface in Kolkata would slow down in the middle overs, Rohit seized the initiative early away and targeted the Protea pacers.
In his first tenure, he used commanding strokes to dismantle Lungi Ngidi. With only two players beyond the 30-yard circle, Rohit lofted his strokes with purpose, hitting six fours and two powerful maximums on his way to a 26-ball 40.
His quick start allowed Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer to approach spin bowling with caution, as the wicket gave a lot to the slower bowlers. While Kohli went on to record his 49th ODI century on his birthday, no one should overlook Rohit’s early contribution.
India scored 326/5 in 50 overs before bowling South Africa out for 83 in 27.1 overs.
2. Pat Cummins – 12* off 68 vs Afghanistan in Mumbai
Glenn Maxwell, Australia’s batting all-rounder, led his team to a historic come-from-behind triumph over Afghanistan with a stunning 201* off 128 balls.
While Maxwell’s outstanding performance stole the stage, Australian skipper Pat Cummins offered the perfect counterpoint by evading balls and refusing to surrender his wicket.
Chasing 292 at the Wankhede Stadium against a high-flying Afghan outfit, Australia were reduced to 91/7 barely inside 19 overs. Then there were Maxwell and Cummins, who put together a 202-run undefeated combination.
While Maxwell took the roof down and decimated everything in his arc, Cummins played the ideal foil and put on a flawless defensive performance.
His job was to keep his wicket safe and to frustrate the Afghan bowlers with his careful play. Cummins’ decision against Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi was fairly exceptional for a No. 9 batter.
Cummins finished unbeaten on 12 off 68 balls, accounting for 6% of the runs in the match-winning stand. Maxwell completed the game with a six-over deep midwicket, bringing up the first-ever ODI double hundred in a chase.
1. Marnus Labuschagne – 58* off 110 vs India in Ahmedabad
Even though Travis Head was the star of Australia’s sixth World Cup victory over India, Marnus Labuschagne’s composed innings of 58 not out off 110 balls was one of the highlights of the 2023 World Cup.
After India went on a rampage and reduced Australia to 47/3 within the powerplay, Labuschagne stepped out in the middle. Virat Kohli, who was in his ears to greet him at the crease, gave him a hard time as well.
Fortunately for Australia, Labuschagne remained calm in the face of adversity and played with poise. With Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami bowling their guts out, Labuschagne applied himself well and played each ball on its merit.
He ensured that Australia did not suffer another setback and gradually cobbled together a match-changing partnership with Head. Labuschagne’s calmness allowed him to go all guns blazing at the Indians, who had no respite.
Both Labuschagne and Head vexed the bowlers at a time when India sorely needed a wicket. Labuschagne even outplayed the Indian spinners and comfortably milked them for singles. The two created a 192-run combination that propelled Australia to an amazing victory.
Marnus Labuschagne stayed undefeated at 58 with just four boundaries in 110 balls, which proved to be possibly the most vital half-century of the whole 2023 World Cup.
