"The team has done really well and if you win a World Cup that's a real feather in your cap as a leader," Steve Waugh told News Ltd media on Friday.

All of a sudden, all the focus turned to the type of pitch that is going to be used for the all-important World Cup 2023 final between hosts India and five-time World Champions Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Australia head into their World Cup decider against India with all pieces in place following a devastating return to form of their vaunted pace attack in the South Africa semi-final.

Long before Mohammed Shami became the pivotal player in India's impressive journey to the final of the ongoing World Cup, the pacer was sharing his early struggles with Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and a few reporters over a friendly chat at the team hotel during the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England.

India and Australia have faced off in some of the most engaging contests in recent times and a new chapter to their rivalry will be added when they contest 50-over cricket’s ultimate glory in Sunday’s World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

The English duo of Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough will be the on-field umpires for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia in Ahmedabad.

Long-simmering rivalries on and off the pitch divided India and Pakistan once more at the World Cup, but a cricket show run by Pakistani greats of the game has won fans across the border.

South Africa will co-host the next 50-over finals with Namibia and Zimbabwe in 2027 and Walter believes there is much room for optimism they can improve further having arrived in India under the radar and with little expectation of success.

New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell has rejected criticism of the Black Caps for coming to the aid of India's Virat Kohli during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final loss, saying the team took great pride in the way they went about the game.

Australia edged out South Africa by three wickets in a tense chase of 213 in Kolkata on Thursday to make their eighth World Cup final.

New Zealand are confident they have the foundations in place to continue to compete with the elite at the World Cup even if they could be without Kane Williamson and a few other generational talents when the next edition comes around.

Having a bowling average of 15.71 in World Cups, the best among all bowlers with at least 20 wickets in the showpiece event, should be enough to guarantee a player a place in the teamsheet in every match.

South Africa could not cross the semi-final stage in the World Cup once again, falling to a heart-breaking three-wicket loss to Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, just like their previous four semi-final outings in the World Cup.

It was inevitable. More than it being a question of if, it was rather a debate over how and when.

Australia sealed their place in Sunday’s final of the 50-over World Cup against India following a nervy three-wicket victory against South Africa in the second semifinal on Thursday.

Australia captain Pat Cummins talked about the couple of nerve-wracking hours during an intense semi-final but while Australia rejoiced in making another World Cup final, South Africa faced yet another heartbreak. 

Australia sealed their place in Sunday's final of the 50-over World Cup against India following a nervy three-wicket victory against South Africa in the second semi-final on Thursday.

Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami starred as India beat New Zealand to reach the World Cup final but Nasser Hussain believes captain Rohit Sharma has been their "real hero" of the tournament.

Delhi Police jokingly asked its Mumbai counterpart to not press charges against the pacer for his ‘assault’ with the ball on the Kiwi batters

Australia bowled out South Africa for a below-par 212 despite David Miller's defiant 101 in the second semi-final of the 50-over World Cup at Eden Gardens on Thursday.