Australian quicks would be able to deal with any pitch in final: Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood has been hugely impressive with the new ball. Photo: Reuters/Andrew Boyers

India take on Australia in the final of the ICC World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The pitch is likely to be a major talking point following the Mumbai semifinal where the hosts made a late change and served up a slow wicket against New Zealand.

Australia beat England in Ahmedabad on a pitch which pacer Josh Hazlewood described as good "without being an absolute flat track".

He said he expected a similar track for the final but was confident Australia's quicks would be able to deal with any conditions.

"We've been around the block a few times now, and we've seen that with India, apart from that one game against us, they've played three quicks for the majority as well and they've been outstanding," he said.

"So we know it can be done, we've seen them do it and we've been here a lot of times now so we know how to bowl in these conditions."

Australia's quicks will be looking to make early in-roads against the hosts, who racked up 397/4 against the Kiwis.

New Zealand's pacemen failed to deal with the heat brought by Indian captain Rohit Sharma and fellow opener Shubman Gill who paved the way for Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer's centuries.

"It's huge, and the bigger the game the more important it becomes," said Hazlewood of capturing early wickets.

"So we know the blueprint now if we're bowling first, and hopefully go again on Sunday."

(With inputs from Reuters)

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