Brett Lee admitted that India was the favorite to lift the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 trophy, but Australia’s strong mindset and determination snatched the trophy from the hosts at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19.
Team India performed exceptionally in the ODI World Cup 2023, winning 10 games in a row before the final, but they failed to meet the expectations of millions of fans against Australia in the final.
Asked to bat first, India could manage only 240 runs in the 2023 World Cup final. Then Australia successfully chased the target in 43 overs, with Travis Head scoring a century and leading Australia to a record sixth World cup title.
Brett Lee was quoted as saying by foxsports.com.au: “If you look back on statistics and what has happened in this campaign, India should have won. India should have won the tournament with their men on paper, with their current form leading into the final.”
The legendary Australian pacer added, “India were definitely favourites, 100 per cent favourites, but it's that old Aussie mentality to never ever give up and that goes a long way in big tournaments. There were a lot of people that wrote the Aussies off saying they weren't a chance, they did get off to a slow start.”
Lee signed off by saying, “But they proved once again last night that with that tenacity, dedication and self-belief amongst the team that you can actually pull anything off. They actually dominated right from ball one.”
Lee, a member of the 2003 World Cup winning side, also credited Australia's stunning performance in the final to captain Pat Cummins' calmness and ability to keep the team together after losing their first two games.
"The captaincy from Pat Cummins to harness all that energy and belief within the team, we know what would have happened in that team meeting before going out on the field yesterday. He would have said ‘all right guys, let's just breathe, take this moment in and enjoy the 130,000 people, we may never get this moment again'. To me, it would have been that calmness that Pat Cummins would have been put over his players because they weren't looking good after the first two games. They got off to a shocker, but once again with some belief and talent they have lifted the World Cup," he concluded.
Notably, Australia will next face India in the five-match T20I series, starting on November 23.
(With Fox Sports Inputs)
