‘People probably had us as underdogs’ - Travis Head discusses ODI World Cup win against India in Ahmedabad

India were unbeaten in the ODI World Cup before facing Australia on the night of the finals at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Rohit Sharma-led side looked flawless throughout the tournament and were considered the favourites to win the coveted trophy but Australia reigned supreme in the summit clash, winning the match by six wickets. 

Close to a lakh fans attended the marquee clash and were disappointed following India’s defeat. Defending the 241-run target, Australia were reduced to 47/3 at one stage, which gave the fans tremendous joy but everything turned into sorrow with time. Travis Head played a phenomenal knock of 137 runs, which gave India no room for a comeback. 

Remembering the November 19 night in Ahmedabad, Head stated that the crowd was amazing but it didn’t bother the team. The 30-year-old stated that a lot of people considered them to be ‘underdogs’, given India’s run but the visitors managed to keep their calm, which helped them seal the trophy. He also credited his teammates for handling the pressure well in the final.

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“The crowd was amazing in Ahmedabad. It was massive. The fixture was massive. But just knowing that it's just another game and knowing if you rock up with your best performance, especially in that environment where I think a lot of people probably had us as underdogs, is also a nice feeling,” Head was quoted as saying by Sports Boom.

“We tried to put as much pressure on the opposition as possible and also staying relaxed at the same time helped. It was nice to play in front of a huge crowd and in a big game, but yeah, our team has handled pressure really well over the years,” he added.

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Australia’s World Cup win was a major blow to the Indian team, as almost all the players were in tears after the game. However, their recent success in the T20 World Cup is believed to reduce the pain of some of the senior cricketers.