Embracing the Challenge of a Partisan Crowd
The Australian cricket team, five-time World Cup champions, are gearing up to face India on their home turf in Ahmedabad, with an expected crowd of 130,000 spectators. Pat Cummins, the Australian team’s captain, is well aware that the majority of these fans will be rooting for the home team. However, he encourages his team to leverage the energy of the partisan crowd to their advantage in the World Cup final on Sunday.
“The crowd will undoubtedly be biased, but there’s nothing more gratifying in sports than silencing a large crowd. That’s our goal for tomorrow,” Cummins stated on Saturday. He further emphasized the importance of embracing every aspect of the final, including the heightened noise and interest, without being overwhelmed.
Australia’s Winning Streak and Confidence Boost
Despite entering the final with eight consecutive victories, Australia’s winning streak has been somewhat eclipsed by India’s impressive 10-game unbeaten run in the tournament, including a decisive six-wicket victory over Australia. However, Cummins is confident that his team is gaining momentum and is prepared to give their best in the final.
“One of the encouraging aspects for us is that we haven’t yet played our best game. We’ve had to fight for every win, with different players stepping up at different times. This gives us confidence that we can challenge any team, even if we’re not at our absolute best,” Cummins expressed.
Anticipating a High-Scoring Final
While Cummins doesn’t claim to be an expert on the pitch conditions in Ahmedabad, he anticipates a high-scoring final based on the high totals scored at the venue during the tournament. He also expects the dew factor to come into play for the team bowling under lights, as temperatures are expected to drop as the sun sets in western India.
“This city and venue seem to have more dew than many other places we’ve played. This is something to consider for tomorrow’s game, especially during the last quarter when the ball starts sliding on, which is quite different from the first 20 overs when it might be swinging,” Cummins noted.