Australia hold their nerve to beat South Africa and reach Cricket World Cup final

Tournament hosts India have won all ten of their matches en route to a first World Cup final since their triumph on home turf in 2011, winning nine from nine in the league stage before beating New Zealand in style in Mumbai in the semi-finals.

And Rohit Sharma’s side will face Australia in the final after the five-time Champions beat South Africa in a tense second semi-final at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

After 47 matches and six weeks of action, the fate of the 2023 Cricket World Cup title will come down to 100 overs of action at the Narendra Modi Stadium in front of what is expected to be a record crowd at the 130,000-capacity ground.

Hosts India have won the Men’s Cricket World Cup twice before in their history, first in 1983 in the UK and most recently in 2011 on home soil.

Australia are the most successful nation in the history of the tournament with five titles to their name, most recently in 2015.

The Aussies have won on each of their last four appearances in Cricket World Cup finals, and go into Sunday’s encounter high on confidence after seeing off South Africa at the semi-final stage.

It was a six-wicket win for India when these teams met in the league stage of the tournament in what was both teams’ first game of the competition.

An excellent bowling performance, spearheaded by a three-pronged spin attack, saw India bowl Australia out for 199.

And even a disastrous start that saw Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer all depart for ducks inside the first two overs wasn’t enough to prevent India making a winning start.

Virat Kohli (85) and KL Rahul (97*) masterminded the chase, rebuilding well and steadily accumulating, with India reaching their target with 8.4 overs to spare.