Path to the CWC23 final - How India asserted their dominance

Come 19 November, India will take on Australia in the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final. A host nation will feature in the event’s final for the fourth time in a row, starting with India themselves in 2011.

And their current run sees them well-placed to add a third World Cup to their trophy cabinet. Led by Rohit Sharma’s belligerence and Virat Kohli’s assurance, the batting unit has clicked in all their games so far. Mohammed Shami’s excellence has led their bowling effort, which has seen both the pacers and spinners thrive.

Before the World Cup final, let’s take a look at their run in the tournament so far:

Match 1, v Australia in Chennai: Spinners led the charge, as India made the most of a helpful surface. Useful knocks from David Warner and Steve Smith ensured that Australia reached 199, a sub-par total on the wicket.

However, a target of 200 seemed akin to 300 when Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc struck in style to reduce India to 2/3. A solid partnership between Kohli and KL Rahul stabilised the innings and helped India clinch the contest by six wickets.

**Match 2, v Afghanistan in Delhi:**Afghanistan overcame early struggles to stitch important partnerships before Jasprit Bumrah struck late to hold the side from charging towards 300. Rohit’s attacking ton then led India's chase, as the target was chased down in merely 35 overs.

**Match 3, v Pakistan in Ahmedabad:**Bumrah stood out once again as India excelled with the ball on a good batting wicket. In a collapse of epic proportions, Pakistan were reduced from 155/2 to 191 all out. Another attacking start from the top helped India win the contest by seven wickets.

**Match 4, v Bangladesh in Pune:**Kohli’s exceptional century helped India chase down Bangladesh’s first innings total with ease. The Men in Blue produced a clinical performance with the ball in the first innings, although they suffered the loss of Hardik Pandya who injured himself in this game. The all-rounder was subsequently ruled out of the tournament.

**Match 5, v New Zealand in Dharamsala:**India’s first non-Asian opponent in three games also proved to be their most challenging competitor thus far. Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra seemed to be running away with the game at one stage, having blunted India’s spin attack.

However, Shami, the man who had replaced Pandya in the India lineup, stood up and delivered with a scintillating five-for. From 178/2, New Zealand slipped to 273 all out. Led by Kohli, India went on to register a comfortable win with two overs to spare.

**Match 6, v England in Lucknow:**After being asked to bat first for the first time in the tournament, India stumbled on a tough wicket. However, it was Rohit’s excellence that saw them get to 229/9. The ask was always going to be tough for England, given their form in the tournament.

Bumrah and Shami ripped through their batting order under the lights to clean them up for 129.

**Match 7, v Sri Lanka in Mumbai:**Snaring India’s skipper early in the innings was the only time that the Island nation seemed to be in the game. India’s top and middle order dominated the proceedings in the batting innings.

After posting 357/8, Mohammed Siraj and Shami sliced through the Sri Lanka batting order like a hot knife through butter. India won by a record margin of 302 runs after bowling their opponents out for 55.

**Match 8, v South Africa in Kolkata:**Kohli equalled the record of his idol Sachin Tendulkar, hitting his 49th ODI hundred as India reached 326. The tweakers took charge along with Mohammed Shami and cleaned up the Proteas for 83.

Match 9, v Netherlands in Bengaluru: India accumulated their ninth win in as many league stage matches with a victory against Netherlands in Bengaluru. It was Shreyas Iyer and Rahul who came to the party, helping India post 410/4 at the back of their attacking tons.

The Netherlands put up a decent showing with the bat but were eventually overwhelmed by the big target.

**Semi-final 1, v New Zealand, in Mumbai:**India broke their Kiwi hoodoo in the ICC tournament knockout games and went on to secure a place in the finals. Kohli’s record-breaking 50th ODI ton set the tone for India’s innings, even as Iyer, with a hundred of his own, helped India finish close to 400.

Mitchell once again played an incredible knock, but New Zealand were undone by the brilliance of Shami, who finished with 7/57, the best-ever figures for an India bowler in ODIs.