Wasim Akram roots India's Ahmedabad heartache to media expectations

Wasim Akram, the esteemed Pakistani cricketer, pointed fingers at fans, social media, and TV channels for prematurely crowning India as World Cup champions even before the final showdown against Australia unfolded. India's stellar performance in winning ten consecutive games made them favourites for a third title. However, the heartbreak at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19 shattered countless expectations.

The twist came early when Aussie skipper Pat Cummins opted to bowl after winning the toss in the final. This strategic move showcased the tactical brilliance of the Australians, throwing the game off the predicted trajectory. The Australian pacers, spearheaded by Cummins, throttled India in the middle overs, restricting them to a mere four boundaries between overs 11 to 40. Despite Rohit Sharma's aggressive start, India struggled to reach 240 on a sluggish track.

"I can understand that as a nation it will be tough to get over it because your team played so well throughout the tournament. They won 10 matches on the trot, there was consistency. But television, social media, fans... you all already made India the winner of the World Cup. You accept your mistake too, I'm sorry. You increased the hope of the people because they were playing so well. It's not entirely your fault. They were playing very good cricket. But it came to just one bad game. Credit goes to Australia," Akram said on Star Sports.

Australia silenced the roaring Indian crowd at Ahmedabad

Amidst this, Travis Head's remarkable batting stole the spotlight. His century made him only the third Australian to achieve such a feat in a World Cup final. Australia's reading of the conditions was spot on, they gauged that the black soil pitch wouldn't deteriorate like the red one typically does. As expected, the pitch eased out due to dew and increased moisture, working in favour of the Aussies.

The deafening silence in the 95 thousand-strong crowd at Ahmedabad and the hearts of over a billion Indian fans worldwide bore the weight of this unexpected turn. Australia's astute understanding of the conditions and their execution silenced the roaring anticipation, leaving a nation crestfallen.