- On this day Australia won their second successive World Cup
- The Kangaroos posted a massive 359 for India to chase
- The Indian team got all out on just 234 runs
Perhaps the only country to defend a World Cup title, on 23rd March 2003, Australia won their second consecutive World Cup in South Africa defending the title they won in the 1999 World Cup. when they stepped up in the tournament there was no doubt that won’t be able to protect the Cup. they dominated from the very beginning but saved their best performance for the final which paid them really well.
India forced batting upon Australia after they won the toss and probably that is what cost them the tournament. Every Kangaroo player that stepped on the crease that day had one purpose only and that was to score runs. Openers Adan Gilchrist and Mathew Hayden played a 97 run opening partnership. But it was Ricky Ponting’s firecracker 140 aided by Damien Martyn’s 88 that guided team Australia to a mammoth 359. The opposition could only take two wickets.
Batting second, India had a shaky start. When Sachin Tendulkar, later declared the player of the tournament lost his wicket fell after scoring just four runs, the foundations of the team began to weaken. Sehwag stood out as the lone defending warrior until an unfortunate runout forced him back in the sheds on 82. A valiant effort from Australia’s bowling line-up defeated the men in blue on 234. And this is how the Kangaroos held the trophy for the second successive time.
Also, Read: Anrich Nortje to miss a few games
