On this day: Australia complete hat-trick of World Cups

28th April 2007 was one chaotic day in Bridgetown, Barbados. In the most farcical of all manners, Australia ended up winning the ODI World Cup by a handsome margin of 53 runs in a rain-curtailed game. Earlier, Adam Gilchrist had blazed his way to 149 off 104 balls, registering the highest individual score in a World Cup final.

What helped Adam Gilchrist smash the highest score in a World Cup final in 2007?

? WATCH him demonstrate a unique batting technique ? pic.twitter.com/jYat7nWrCb

— ICC (@ICC) April 28, 2020

As was their ritual, Australia sailed through the group stages and the Super 8 stage by winning every game they played. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, suffered two losses but joined the leaders in the final by taking down New Zealand in the semi-final. The finalists of 1996 World Cup once again confronted each other.

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Ricky Ponting, the Aussie skipper, won the toss and chose to bat first. However, the start of play was delayed due to rain, and the match was reduced to 38 overs per side. Gilchrist’s 149 propelled the defending champions to 281/4 in their quota of overs. Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara kept the chase alive but it was too much for the rest to handle. Final overs of the Sri Lankan innings were played in utter darkness where let alone fielders, even the batsmen struggled to spot the ball. Australia eventually lifted their third consecutive World Cup.