20 years after Men's ODI World Cup final, India and Australia face-off for ICC Test Mace

7381 days after the heartbreak of the Men's ODI World Cup final against Australia, a different generation of Indian cricketers will take on the Australian side in the final of the World Test Championship 2023 at a neutral venue, i.e London's Kia Oval.

The 23rd of March 2003 is a date that most Indian cricket fans would prefer to forget, as the agonizing loss of the ODI World Cup final against Australia is still vivid in many people's minds. What happened on March 23, 2003, was grueling for an Indian fan. Australia got off to a fast start, scoring 105 runs in 14 overs thanks to Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden.

Harbhajan Singh terminated Gilchrist's



stay, and the spinner also dismissed Hayden to give India some impetus. Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn, who were merciless on the Indian bowlers, put an end to that fast. Ponting scored 140 runs off 121 balls, hitting four boundaries and eight sixes. Martyn was unbeaten on 88 as Australia amassed a massive 359 in 50 overs.

Chasing 360, Indian hopes were dashed in the first over when Sachin was bowled out by his archrival Glenn McGrath. Apart from Sehwag and Dravid, none of the other Indian hitters provided much fight as the Australian bowlers ran through them. Australia successfully defended their title with a 125-run win in one of the most one-sided finals in ICC history.