'For me, it has to be…he has been brilliant': Karthik names MVP for 2023 World Cup ahead of India vs Australia final
Speaking ahead of the 2023 Cricket World Cup final, Dinesh Karthik named the tournament's MVP and lavished praise on him.
Aiming to script history, all eyes will be on Rohit Sharma as India take on arch-rivals Australia at the 2023 World Cup final, in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The 36-year-old's captaincy is the primary reason behind India remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, he has also been in dominant batting form, giving good starts to his team.
Rohit is currently fifth in the run chart with 552 runs in 10 matches, packed with a hundred and three half-centuries. He has also been extremely aggressive, with a strike rate of 124.15, and also got a 131-run knock against Afghanistan.
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Speaking on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik named Rohit as the tournament's 'Most Valuable Player', and hailed his leadership skills. "For me, the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament has to be Rohit Sharma. He has given great starts, he has shown the template as to how it needs to be done and, as a skipper, he has been brilliant," he said.
India are the only unbeaten team in this tournament and have completely outplayed opponents in all departments. This is the second-time India will face Australia in a ODI World Cup final, and they will be looking to avenge their defeat at the 2003 final.
In the 2003 World Cup final, India won the toss and opted to bowl on a placid looking track. It turned out to be a big mistake as Ricky Ponting and Co. went on a rampage. Adam Gilchrist hammered a 48-ball 57, and then Ponting clattered a 121-ball 140*, and was well-complemented by Damien Martyn's 84-ball 88*, which saw them add 234 runs for the third wicket as Australia finished with 359/2. In the first over Zaheer Khan conceded 15 runs, spraying wides and no-balls.
In the chase, Sachin Tendilkar lost his wicket early in the first over, falling to Glenn McGrath. Virender Sehwag's 82 gave India a fighting chance, but it wasn't enough as the Aussies sealed a massive 125-run win to bag back-to-back World Cup titles.
