KL Rahul scored 66 off 107 balls in the World Cup 2023 final against Australia.
On a slow pitch, Indian batters failed to get going and managed to post only 240/10 in 50 overs after being asked to bat first.
While skipper Rohit Sharma played a fiery knock of 31-ball 47 at the top, the hosts lost three wickets for 81 runs in the 11th over. Subsequently, Virat Kohli (54 off 63) and KL Rahul (66 off 107) adopted a consolidation strategy in the middle overs, where India struggled to find the boundary.
In reply, the Aussies rode on Travis Head’s stunning hundred (137 off 120) and Marnus Labuschagne’s unbeaten half-century (58 off 110) to seal the chase with seven overs remaining.
Speaking on Star Sports, Pakistan legend Wasim Akram weighed in on India’s loss in the final, saying that the middle-order could have batted more fearlessly and their cautious approach cost them the title.
However, Akram said he understood why wicketkeeper-batter Rahul played in the way he did.
"If I have to pick any particular reason, I suppose the middle order should have played with a ‘do or die' mindset. I can understand what was going through Rahul's mind, that there was no batting to come after Jadeja and that he had to bat deep, and batting deep meant he couldn't take risks of getting out," Wasim Akram stated.
According to him, final was the one game where the home team possibly missed all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s services.
"If possibly Hardik was in the team, he (Rahul) probably would take that risk. But, if he had taken a risk and gotten out in this situation, then people would have criticised him for that as well," he explained.
Not scoring quickly in the middle overs certainly cost India in the summit clash. "If they had kept pace and scored quickly in the middle overs, then it would have been a different ball game.”
India skipper Rohit Sharma has come under the scanner for throwing away his wicket in the World Cup final.
Rohit batted with a fearless approach throughout the marquee event, amassing 597 runs from 11 innings at an impressive average of 54.27 and a remarkable strike rate of 125.94. He was batting on 47 off 31 balls in the final but gifted his wicket while going for a big shot against Glenn Maxwell in the 10th over.
Akram felt Rohit was right to back his attacking game in the final. "He's played like that in the entire World Cup, that's his game. Nobody complained throughout the World Cup with the starts he's giving, or that he was constantly getting out in the 40s, and now that he's done the same in the finals, people are finding a reason to complain."
"And, he's also one of the best players of spin in the world, though he got out to Maxwell in that game, and credit to Maxwell and Cummins. But, that's the nature of Rohit's game, and I don't think he should change it,” he remarked.
During the Aussie chase, Mohammad Shami was given the new ball for the first time in the World Cup and Akram felt Mohammed Siraj could have been a better choice given his ability to bowl economical spells.
“I found Siraj to be bowling really well throughout the World Cup, though his wickets column may not suggest that. But, the breakthroughs he gave in Asia Cup and his recent performances have established him as the future of Indian cricket," Wasim said.
"In this match, they straight away brought in Shami, and he did have impact on the game right away by getting Warner out, though it was more like Warner got himself out by slashing at a wide ball."
"Another factor is that after losing the three wickets within the first 15 overs, the dew set in, which made it easier for batting as the ball wasn't doing much after that."
Wasim Akram clarified that he didn't want to take any credit away from Travis Head or Marnus Labuschagne.
"I'm not taking credit away from Australia's batting, but it does psychologically affect the bowlers. I think in big games like the finals, teams should always stick to what they have been doing and what's been working for them," he concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)