10/10: Men in Blue Set to Rock the World

Ahmedabad: It’s been a perfect World Cup for Team India— 10 out of 10. Having beaten every team on their way to Sunday’s final, M/s Rohit Sharma & Co. are all geared up for one last push at the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium here.

The world’s largest cricket venue will be bathed in blue as the hosts clash with five-time champions Australia in the title match for a third World Cup trophy, following their triumphs in 1983 and 2011.

Captain Rohit Sharma would be itching to etch his name alongside the legendary Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captains who have conquered the world for India. He’s staying calm though. “Emotionally it’s a big occasion, but the biggest challenge for professional athletes is to put all this aside and focus on the job. It’s really important to remain calm in such situations and play your role well,” he said on Saturday.

His opposite number is confident too. “It’s going to be awesome. We’ve played them quite a lot over the last couple years with success and know that at our best we can give them a good shake,” Pat Cummins said on match eve.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest for the big match. He will watch the game alongside Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles. That should pep the Blues up in their quest for glory, something the entire nation would surely bask in.

While India have maintained an all-win record in the tournament, Australia lost their first two matches to be at the bottom of the points table before making a remarkable recovery to win eight in a row and make the title round.