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On this day: The night Travis Head became India's biggest villain

On this day: The night Travis Head became India's biggest villain

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 19, 2024, 13:03 IST

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Travis Head delivered a match-winning performance in the ODI World Cup final, scoring 137 runs to lead Australia to a historic victory over a formidable Indian team at the Narendra Modi Stadium. His innings, combined with a solid partnership with Marnus Labuschagne, propelled Australia to their sixth World Cup title, leaving Indian fans heartbroken.

On this day: The night Travis Head became India's biggest villain

Travis Head (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: November 19, 2023, will be remembered fondly by Australians as another chapter in their storied ODI World Cup history, but for Indian fans, it will remain a day of heartbreak. On this fateful day, Australia's star opener Travis Head turned from an admired player to a villain in the eyes of Indian supporters, delivering a masterclass that dashed India’s hopes of ending their 12-year World Cup drought.
Australia entered the final as underdogs against an unbeaten Indian team led by Rohit Sharma, who had dominated the tournament with unparalleled consistency.
With one hand seemingly on the trophy, India appeared destined to reclaim World Cup glory that they last won way back in 2011 under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy.
However, Australia's resilience, led by Head’s brilliance, shattered those dreams.

Chasing India’s competitive 241 at the packed Narendra Modi Stadium, Australia stumbled early, losing two wickets in the powerplay. But Head stepped up under pressure, crafting a stunning 137 off 120 balls.
His 192-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne (58 not out off 110 balls) blended calculated aggression with composure, dismantling India’s bowling attack and silencing the crowd.
With this victory, Head etched his name in cricketing history, guiding Australia to their sixth ODI World Cup title.

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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