ODI World Cup 2023: 'Looking forward...,' Australia pacer Mitchell Starc fires WARNING ahead of final vs India

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc is ready for the ODI World Cup 2023 final against India as the two sides face each other in the tournament final for the first time since 2003. Starc agreed that it is going to be a loud match with home fans backing their team to beat the five-time winners.

“It's certainly going to be a big occasion in a World Cup Final in India. It's going to be loud. There's going to be a lot of passion there," Starc said after Australia's three-wicket win over South Africa in the second semifinal played on November 16 in Kolkata.

“It's going to be a fantastic occasion and no doubt there's going to be different amounts of pressure at different times on both teams.

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“But yeah, I think 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 added.

The game would be between India's top order and Australia's pacer who are peaking at the right time. India, however, will have a slight advantage after being undefeated till now and having beaten Australia in the league stage.

“It’s why we play the game. We want to take on the best. They've been the best in the tournament so far and we both find ourselves in the final," Starc said about the challenge.

“That's what World Cups are about. You want to take on the best throughout and we certainly come up against a team that have obviously led from the front through the tournament and they're undefeated.

“We played them in the first game of the tournament (when India won by six wickets), 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 said further.

The Indian fans will be hoping to bury the ghosts of the 2003 World Cup finalagainst Australia under Sourav Ganguly. Starc, who must have been 13 at that time, however, said that he doesn't remember much about that game.

“Apart from Australia winning, I don't know what happened in that game,” he said.

“It was 2003, I was probably asleep. I don’t know, I can't remember what I did two weeks ago,” said the Australia fast bowler.