'It's not going to be easy': Australia's Mitchell Starc on chasing 241 against India in final

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 19, 2023, 19:00 IST

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Australia pacer Mitchell Starc, who took three wickets against India in the final, stated that chasing 241 runs will "not be easy" on a dry pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

'It's not going to be easy': Australia's Mitchell Starc on chasing 241 against India in final

(AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Following his impressive performance in the World Cup final against India, Australia's pacer Mitchell Starc, who claimed three crucial wickets, emphasised the challenge of chasing 241 runs on a dry pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Australia showcased a remarkable display of disciplined and aggressive bowling, with pacers Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins making early breakthroughs to dismantle India's batting line-up.
Starc, in particular, played a pivotal role by dismissing Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Shami, contributing to Australia's success in bundling out India for 240 in Ahmedabad.
"We bowled second here against England and it was a little dewy. The wicket (today) is a little bit dry and hopefully the dew comes in and we don't see any reverse in the second innings. It's not an easy wicket to bat on; perhaps the easiest time to bat is against the hard new ball and there are runs to be scored. It is not going to be easy, but it is what you ask for; it is a World Cup final. What more can you ask for?" Starc said in a post-innings presentation.

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul's gritty half-centuries powered India to 240 against Australia in the ICC World Cup 2023 final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
The five-time champions Australia chose to bat first, and the players backed up skipper Pat Cummins' choice with disciplined bowling and superb fielding in front of a sea of blue jerseys from India.
After skipper Rohit Sharma's attacking 47, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul scored 54 and 66, respectively, but the ball dominated the bat on a sluggish, dry pitch.

"You can always plan for things; the way we contributed with the ball was fantastic first up and now out there (need to do the job) with the bat. There is not a whole heap of help for the seam bowlers and swing bowlers. I was trying to do a few different things and vary the pace a little bit. Patty (Cummins) and Josh (Hazlewood) were outstanding and obviously there was a little bit of reverse at the back end. Hopefully, we restricted them to enough runs," he added.
(With ANI Inputs)

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