2023 Cricket World Cup finally comes to an end today

After six and a half weeks and nearly 50 matches involving 10 teams and 10 cities, the 2023 Cricket World Cup finally comes to an end today (Sunday) with Australia facing the daunting task of stopping unbeaten hosts India in the final, report agencies.
India's cricket-conscious prime minister Narendra Modi will likely be among the 132,000 people watching the final in his namesake Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will also attend the World Cup cricket final.
It's been a bit of a procession so far for India, who have barely broken stride in winning 10 out of 10 World Cup games.
As the final gears up to unfold its magic at Ahmedabad's iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, a star-studded affair is on the horizon.
The extravaganza kicks off with the Indian Air Force's Surya Kiran team painting the skies with aerobatic displays, creating a mesmerising spectacle, the BCCI revealed on X.
Adding a musical note to the proceedings, popular Gujarati singer Aditya Gadhvi, whose song "Khalasi" took the internet by storm, will enchant the audience during the first innings drinks break.
As the excitement unfolds during the second innings, spectators are in for a treat with a dazzling laser and light show. The stadium will transform into a visual extravaganza, enhancing the overall experience of the World Cup Final.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has curated a lineup of stellar performers for the breaks, featuring musical maestros like Pritam Chakraborty, Jonita Gandhi, Nakash Aziz, Amit Mishra, Akasa Singh, and Tushar Joshi. Their electrifying performances promise to keep the audience enthralled, adding a rhythmic vibe to the cricketing showdown.
The BCCI expressed its anticipation, stating, "It doesn't get any bigger than this. The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 Final is filled with stellar performances and an experience of a lifetime."
Meanwhile, 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 familiar foes will conclude their campaign like they started it, against each other, and none of the 130,000-odd seats at the Narendra Modi Stadium will be empty.
Favourites India comprehensively beat number two
ranked Australia in their tournament opener and then strung together 10 wins in a row to storm into the final of their home World Cup with an unblemished record.
Australia, by contrast, began with two defeats before going on an eight-match winning streak.
"We want to take on the best. They've been the best in the tournament so far," Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc said of India. "It's why we play the game." Captain Rohit Sharma and his team's semi-final victory against New Zealand, considered their bogey side, has answered questions about India's fragility in knockouts.
Rohit has led by example, with unbridled aggression at the top allowing others to play with more freedom.
Virat Kohli, the tournament's leading scorer, has been the trusted anchor, while others have batted around the senior duo in India's familiar template.
"The top-five-six batters, whenever they've gotten an opportunity, they've made it really count," Rohit said after the semi-final. "All in all, the batting was superb, and that is the kind of template we want to bat with and move forward with."
Their bowling, aided by the knowledge of home conditions, has been equally impressive.
Jasprit Bumrah has stifled batters both with the new ball and in the death overs while Mohammed Shami has emerged as the tournament's leading wicket-taker despite warming the bench in India's first four matches.
The left-arm duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja have shared the spin duties with considerable success on their quest for a third 50-overs World Cup trophy.