Marnus Labuschagne announces retirement, India's bane in 2023 World Cup final

India finally clinched the T20 World Cup on June 29, 2024, ending a drought of ICC Trophy wins since 2023. However, the sting of coming in second place at the 2023 World Cup still lingers. The devastating loss to Australia in the final on November 19, 2023, left a deep scar on the hearts of cricket fans across the nation. The defeat was a harsh reminder of how easily dreams can be shattered in the world of sports. Despite the triumph in the T20 World Cup, the wounds from the 2023 World Cup loss will take years to heal completely.

Countless individuals, including the Indian team, cried themselves to sleep that night, and had it not been for the T20 World Cup win, it would have taken even longer to move on from that defeat, let alone two. Having already beaten Australia twice in the preceding ODI series and in their World Cup opener, on paper, there was nothing stopping India and their ruthless 10-match winning streak. But unfortunately, it came to a screeching halt, on the day no one wanted it to as India's World Cup dreams went up in smoke. After putting 240 on the board, Australia chased down the target with Travis Head striking a sublime century and Marnus Labuschagne scoring an unbeaten fifty.

However, more than eight months later, Labuschagne, who remained unbeaten on 58 off 110 balls, is retiring a piece of his equipment that tormented India that evening. The Kookaburra bat. Sharing a picture of his willow capturing the bat's worn-out conditions, Labuschagne hinted at using it no more. "Think it's finally time to retire the World Cup final bat," he posted on X.

The bat looks in bad shape with a huge chunk of wood missing in the middle. Having said that, the fans did not miss the chance to playing respect to the equipment that gave Labuschagne his first and Australia's their sixth ODI World Cup title. Many fans want Labuschagne to preserve whatever is left of the bat and get it framed or send it to the Cricket Australia Museum.

Labuschagne's contribution to that chase

Not many give Labuschagne the credit but his fifty was as important – if not more – in Australia's win as Head's century. Head's 137 was obviously the difference-maker but after being reduced to 47/3, the Australian chase could have panned out either way had it not been for Labuschagne's rock-solid and steady support at the other end.

He hit just three boundaries, saw off Jasprit Bumrah's searing spell, Virat Kohli's long and deadly state, and was content playing second fiddle to the aggressive Head, whose onslaught slowly snatched the game away from India. Labuschagne was nowhere close to being one of the leading run-scorers of the tournament – he was not even in the top 10 – but ended the World Cup with 362 runs at an average of 40.22 with three half-centuries.

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