World Cup 2023: We want to take on the best, says Starc after Australia setup summit clash against undefeated India

Pacer Mitchell Starc insisted Australia “want to take on the best” after his team’s thrilling three-wicket victory over South Africa on Thursday that set up a mouth-watering ICC World Cup final against India. World Cup 2023: News | Schedule | Results | Points table Starc, along with Josh Hazlewood, helped Australia blow South Africa’s top-order away at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens and later stitching an unbroken 22-run stand with skipper Pat Cummins as the five-time world champions chased down a modest target of 213 with 16 deliveries to spare. This was after South Africa fought back both with bat and ball after getting off to poor starts in the opening powerplays.

“We want to take on the best,” Starc said at the post-match media interaction. “They’ve been the best in the tournament so far and we both find ourselves in the finals. So that’s what World Cups are about. It’s why we play the game. “We certainly come up against a team that have obviously led from the front through the tournament and they’re undefeated,” Starc said. Read | Semi-final defeat 'nothing even remotely close to a choke’: SA coach Sunday’s final between India and Australia at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will be a rematch of the 2003 summit clash in Johannesburg, in which Ricky Ponting’s Aussies outplayed the Sourav Ganguly-led India by 125 runs to win their third of five world titles. This time however, it’s India who have the slight edge over the Australians given they’ve won all 10 matches so far, including a four-wicket win over the Cummins-led side in their tournament opener in Chennai. “We played them in the first game of the tournament, now we get to take them on in the last. So yeah, what a place to be at the end of a World Cup,” he added. Chasing 213 against South Africa, their batters faltered against the South African spinners to make it a nervy win in the end. Asked whether they would be wary of facing India’s spinners at Ahmedabad, he said: “I guess we’ll find out when we get to Ahmedabad tomorrow and see if it’s a fresh wicket or an old wicket.” The last time India played Australia in the World Cup final was back in 2003, when Starc was a sprightly 13-year-old boy. “Apart from Australia winning, I don’t know what happened in that game,” he said. He further said both teams are aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and he’s looking forward to the “spectacle” of facing India in front of a packed 130,000 crowd at Narendra Modi Stadium. “It’s a big occasion, it’s a World Cup final. Certainly, guys in both changing rooms have been there before at different formats. “Both teams played each other in the (World Test Championship) Final earlier in the year. I don’t think either changing room is new to big occasions. “It’s going to be loud. There’s going to be a lot of passion there and no doubt there’s going to be different amounts of pressure at different times on both teams. “It’s just going to be a great spectacle of cricket. And certainly, everyone in our changing room is looking forward to the occasion,” he said. Nice to step up By his standards, the left-arm quick has had a quiet World Cup taking just 10 wickets from eight matches before the semi-final. But under overcast conditions, Starc with his new ball partner Josh Hazlewood ripped apart the South African top-order, taking four wickets inside 12 overs. “Yeah, that’s probably not been the tournament I would have liked from the get go but nice to step up in a big game. And I think our power-play was probably what got us on our way. “There were other key moments throughout the day with bat and ball, but to start the game like that with Joshie (Hazelwood) and I, was great. “Looking at Josh’s pitch map — that’s what he does so well in Test match bowling. The way we run off each other to have that power-play that we did, and carry some momentum through to the middle overs was how we want to start matches. “Power-play wickets have probably not been our strong suit throughout the tournament, so it’s nice to have a power play, of two for 18 or something like that. “I think a lot of guys in the field as well, the way Davey stepped up in the field and led by example. You could probably name everyone at different circumstances through the day to really step up in a big game,” said Starc. **SA vs AUS Stats: Australia’s’ record eighth final, Warner joins elite list and more** He also hailed opener Travis Head’s 62 off 48 balls as Australia got off the blocks quickly, which proved handy in a tense chase. Australia raced to 60 in six overs, as David Warner struck 29 off 18 balls. “I think the way not only Trav but also Davey batted put the pressure straight on South Africa there in the first 10 overs. “We’ve seen throughout the tournament how tough the first 10 overs can be at certain times of the day, with the hard new balls. “When you’re willing to take the game on like that and sometimes you take a little bit of luck with you, but the guys were fantastic in that opening partnership,” Starc added. With inputs from PTI