India and Australia will meet in the final of the 2023 World Cup at Ahmedabad on Sunday (November 19) – Sarah Waris picks out the key player battles to watch out for.

India have won all ten games thus far, defeating New Zealand in the semi-final by 70 runs. They will be up against Australia, against whom they started their World Cup campaign on October 8, in the summit clash on Sunday.

Australia lost their first two games of the competition but have bounced back with eight wins on the trot, the last of which was against South Africa in the semi-final.

Here are the player battles that could decide the match:

Josh Hazlewood vs Rohit Sharma

Hazlewood has arguably been the best Australia quick this World Cup but he will face a tough task bowling to India skipper Rohit Sharma in the final. Rohit has set the first powerplay on fire this tournament, a phase where Hazlewood has been economical, conceding only 3.91 runs an over. While Rohit will look to bat in the manner he has been in the World Cup, historically, he has found it tough to go after Hazlewood, against whom he has a strike rate of 77.

The quick dismissed Rohit lbw earlier in the tournament, and though it was the only time he has got his wicket, he has managed to keep him quiet.

Jasprit Bumrah vs David Warner

Warner is the only batter who has faced Bumrah more than eight times in ODIs and has not been dismissed once by him. One of the few batters who has managed to take the India quick on in the format, Warner will be up against a bowler who has an economy rate of 3.14 in the first powerplay this World Cup. The left-hander, on the other hand, has been a prolific six-hitter in the first ten overs, much like Rohit, and with Mohammed Siraj already proving inconsistent in the World Cup, the onus will be on Bumrah to keep both openers quiet.

Adam Zampa vs Virat Kohli

Kohli fans, look away. Kohli has been dismissed 18 times by leg spinners in ODIs, five of which have been against Zampa. The India No.3 has also fallen to him thrice in T20Is, making him the fourth most successful bowler against him across all formats.

Kohli played out Zampa well in the World Cup opener in Chennai, scoring 24 balls off 23 deliveries, and he would look to bat with a similar mindset this time as well.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Steve Smith

The visuals of Smith giving Jadeja a thumbs up during the India-Australia Test series this year had its critics, but it was also the acknowledgement of a class of the left-arm spinner, who has managed to keep the batter on his toes. This year alone, Jadeja has dismissed Smith five times in international cricket – four in Tests and once when the two sides met in the World Cup game in Chennai. Of the five times, Smith has been bowled thrice with the keeper latching on once, indicating just how accurate Jadeja has been.

R Ashwin vs Australia’s openers

If the track for the final is once again a used track, India could be tempted to go in with Ashwin over Mohammed Siraj in the XI. Ashwin has played only one game in the World Cup – against Australia in Chennai – and he could be brought in to trouble the left-handers at the top.

The off-spinner has a terrific record against Warner, dismissing him 17 times across formats. The opener has struggled with his strike rate against the spinner as well, and Rohit could take a gamble by having Ashwin take the new ball alongside Bumrah, who has not troubled Warner as much.

Ashwin, overall, has a brilliant record against left-handers, and Head too has struggled against off-spinners. In 31 innings, he has only struck at 75.7 against them, and the prospect of Ashwin in the powerplay to curb the big-hitting Australia batters could be tempting for India.

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