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A Travis Head-inspired Australia has shocked India to win a sixth Cricket World Cup title by six wickets in front of around 125,000 stunned fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India had been undefeated throughout the tournament but were bowled out for 240 on the final ball of their innings before Head starred for Australia on his way to a match-winning 137 — after Australia had been reduced to 3-47 in front of an increasingly frenzied home crowd.
- Scorecard: Australia completed six-wicket victory
- Five quick hits: Pat Cummins's big call and Travis Head's 'phenomenal' catch
Head, with able support from Marnus Labuschagne (58), steadied the ship to lead Australia to victory despite falling with just two runs required.
He became the third Australian to make a century in a men's world cup final, joining Ricky Ponting (2003) and Adam Gilchrist (2007) in doing so.
The opener, who was also player of the match in Australia's semifinal victory over South Africa and in the World Test Championship final at The Oval earlier in the year, had earlier taken a difficult diving catch to remove dangerous India captain Rohit Sharma for 47 off 31 deliveries, just as he threatened to take the match away from Australia early.
While that dismissal off the bowling of Glenn Maxwell laid the platform for Australia to rip through India's middle order, it was what Head did with the bat that ultimately decided the match.
His innings was the measured stuff of a matured master, albeit one who had never thought he would be in this situation, after a fractured hand threatened his very involvement in this World Cup.
Opening partner David Warner described Head's comeback as "magnificent", his captain Pat Cummins called it the ultimate gamble from Australia's selectors.
"What an incredible comeback from Heady," Warner said.
"Injured in South Africa — to come back and score a hundred in his first game back and then hit a hundred here tonight in front of a jam-packed crowd is absolutely phenomenal."
Cummins could not quite believe it.
"It's amazing and I thank the unheralded few … the selectors that backed him in and the medical team to get him back," Cummins said.
"It was a big risk and it paid off."
Against India, Head's wicket was threatened early and often as opening bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami hooped the ball around and moved it off the seam in slick night-time conditions.
Warner barely survived Bumrah's opening over, edging one through the slip cordon, but the signs were more positive for Head and a harbinger of things to come as he twice crushed India's opening quick through the off side for boundaries.
However, Warner was gone the next over, nicking one off Shami to be caught at slip by Virat Kohli for seven.
Mitch Marsh came in and immediately went after the pair and, even though he looked to be in good touch, he nicked a straight ball from Bumrah to be caught behind for a run-a-ball 15.
Steve Smith came in to help right the ship but he too struggled and when Bumrah rapped him on the pads with a big shout, Smith was given LBW.
The former captain, who is often fond of a review, decided against sending the decision to the TV umpire, but replays showed he had been hit outside the line of off stump and would have earned a reprieve.
It could have been a turning point with Australia 3-47 down but in the end, it was just a curious footnote.
Head was subsequently joined at the crease by Marnus Labuschagne and the pair made sure it did not matter.
The duo were forced to stave off the Indian quicks as the ball continued to move and, while Labuschagne is usually happy to drop anchor, Head, who loves to be the aggressor, also had to dial it back to give Australia a chance.
From the end of the seventh over, when Smith was removed, to the end of the 17th over, Australia made just 50 runs as the pair looked to settle. Of those runs, the ever-watchful Labuschagne added only 10.
But it was just what was needed.
Head passed his 50 and began to unleash the shackles ever so slightly as Australia's confidence grew and the required runs came down, but in the 28th over disaster almost struck.
Labuschagne was rapped on the pads by Bumrah, right on the Kookaburra logo, and India reviewed the not-out decision.
DRS showed the ball thumping into a pretty big part of leg stump but not enough for it to be overturned.
That was truly India's last gasp as Head, already on 80, soon began to accelerate the run rate.
It took him a few overs but he eventually went after Kuldeep Yadav and brought up his hundred with 11 off the 34th over as Australia closed to within almost 50 of the total.
From there, Head began to clear the boundary with more regularity, finding the rope with increasing ease as he threw caution to the wind, while Labuschange nudged his way towards his 50.
It seemed Head would carry his bat just like Gilchrist did in 2007, before he finally holed out when trying to whack Mohammed Siraj to the boundary with just two runs needed.
It did not matter, as Maxwell came in and immediately hit the winning runs.
Ever one to play his own role down, Head indicated he did not believe he was in the class of Gilchrist or Ponting, even though he was elated.
"I'm definitely third on that list. It is a nice one to join," Head quipped of Australians who have made a ton in a World Cup final.
"I couldn't imagine getting a hundred or holding on to that one [catch that dismissed Sharma] … it's nice to hold onto something this important."
He then paid tribute to Labuschagne after the pair put on 192 for the fourth wicket.
"I was a little bit nervous but Marnus played exceptional," Head said.
"It was awesome to bat with him, he soaked up all the pressure and it was an amazing partnership."
Labuschange, who thought he may have been dropped for the match, and only found out he was in after Australia's coaches examined the pitch the night before, was equally effusive in his praise.
"Travis put on a hell of a display and it was great to be a part of it with him," he said.
Pace trio set up victory
The victory may have been delivered by a batsman but it was set up by the Australian pace brigade.
When Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl, the decision surprised plenty and it had appeared to have backfired badly early as Sharma and Kohli looked to be in good touch with India cruising at 1-76 before Sharma was dismissed.
And while Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer went cheaply to leave India 3-81, it had seemed Kohli and KL Rahul had steadied India's ship.
Then came the big wicket, as India's talisman and the man who scored the most runs this World Cup, Kohli, played a horizontal bat to a Cummins bouncer and chopped the ball onto his own wicket.
Kohli, later crowned Player of the Tournament, looked on in disbelief at his dismissal for 54 as Cummins (2-34) leapt for joy.
Rahul was left to try and rescue India and his steady 66 was their top score but, when he fell after edging Mitchell Starc (3-55) to Josh Inglis, India were 6-203 and in trouble.
Josh Hazlewood got both Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, while Starc took the wicket of Shami as Australia's pace trio took seven of the 10 wickets.
Cummins's decision to bowl had been vindicated and he said he was relieved.
"Tonight, we thought it was a good night to chase down … we thought it [the pitch] might get a bit easier to play later," he said.
"I thought everyone adjusted pretty well and bowled some tight lines."
That they did, as they handed a shocked India a loss they never expected and Sharma said Australia made all the right moves.
"Honestly, we were not good enough today," he said.
"We tried everything we could, but the wicket got slightly better to bat under lights."
Recap how all the action unfolded in our live blog below.
Key events
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Live updates
Thanks for being with us
Well, what a way to spend a Sunday night/Monday morning.
Huge congratulations to Australia, who were superb in the back half of the tournament and throughout the semifinal and, of course, that final.
As Pat Cummins celebrates and takes photos of some of the support staff, we'd best get on with trying to make sence of what we've just watched.
The second-straight Cricket World Cup where 241 has been the winning score - what are the odds?
This one was slightly less dramatic than four years ago, but only because of some magic from Travis Head and a magnificent backup from Marnus Labuschagne.
We've had thrills and spills over the past few weeks, and there's plenty more cricket to come over the next couple of months, with Test blogs, the Big Bash League and more across the ABC Sport website and radio.
Thanks for being with us, we'll see you very soon.
From two straight defeats to World Champions
This is some Bradbury of a campaign! What an effort. Unbelievable
- Chris
It's been quite a ride, that's for sure.
Not too many
How many Aussies do we think were at the stadium tonight. Wish I was there to join them
- Peter
But it would have been a hell of an experience.
And when the players were getting their medals, there were enough cheers to make me think there were at least a handful.
Pat Cummins receives the World Cup trophy!
Narendra Modi is there, the Indian Prime Minister, and Richard Marles, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia.
Just Cummins at the moment with the two politicians.
Now he's standing there on his own for a bit, waiting for his teammates as the fireworks go off.
Now he has his team with him and they all celebrate wildly!
Pat Cummins praises saving the best til last
Pat Cummins is speaking now.
"I think we saved our best to last," he says.
"We were tossing it up, today we thought it was a good night to chase down.
"It was a bit slower than I thought [the pitch], didn't particularly spin, I thought everyone adjusted their lines.
"[The fielding was] Desperate for sure. It all started last week against South Africa. We've got an aging side, but we all threw ourselves around out there."
Cummins is asked whether or not it was nerve wracking to watch when Australia lost their first three wickets.
"I was one of those blokes with the heart fluttering," Cummins says.
"Marnus came in with a cool head, Travis was really brave again, put the pressure back on the bowlers, to do it on the biggest stage shows a lot of character.
"Amazing. The unheralded few. The selectors to back him in and the medical staff.
"Couldn't be happier for Trav. How fun is he to watch?"
Cummins is also asked about the crowd of close to 125,000, which is the first official number we've been given.
"I was pretty happy they were silent for a lot of the bowling innings," Cummins says. Ouch.
And here come the victorious Australians
Rohit Sharma 'It wasn't supposed to be'
Here is the Indian skipper.
"Honestly, we were not good enough today," he says.
"I am really proud of the team, it just wasn't our day.
"It wasn't supposed to be," he adds.
He says the team needed at least 20 or 30 more runs to be competitive.
"They stitched up a big partnership and that helped them win the game.
"Credit to those two guys in the middle, they put us completely out of the game.
"We tried everything we could, but the wicket got slightly better to bat under lights.
"We knew under the lights it would be slightly better. I don't want to give that as an excuse, we didn't bat well enough."
India's players are being presented their runners up medals
Key Event
Virat Kohli is player of the tournament
Hard to argue with that.
His 765 runs and three centuries get him the award - he's the leading run scorer and played superbly throughout, only failing to reach 50 twice, once against England and once against Pakistan.
There are enough supporters in to make a bit of noise for Virat Kohli.
Travis Head is player of the match
We already knew that, but Sachin Tendulkar presents that award to him on stage now.
The umpires are being presented
And, for some absurd reason, are being booed by the home supporters.
Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough, both of England, were the onfield umpires.
Joel Wilson was the DRS umpire, and Chris Gaffaney was in reserve.
Right, after an indeterminable delay it's time for the presentations
These will be happening in a mostly empty stadium, by the way.
It's not been bad, has it?
Test Championship. Tick. Ashes. Tick. 50 Over WC. Tick. Not a bad year.
- Chris
I did not
Simon, yesterday did you think AUstralia would win? Also I need a note to explain why I will.be a zombie at work tomorrow.
- Sleepless in CBR
I felt that everything was in India's favour - even selecting a slow and low pitch.
But Australia has won nine games in a row now, they have played incredibly well and they got their tactical decisions perfectly right all day.
It felt that they really had a plan and, although I'm sure this is not the case, India gave off an impression that that they just needed to turn up and, with the crowd at their backs, they'd do the job.
There was very little tactical thinking outside the box from Rohit Sharma, while Pat Cummins made 22 bowling changes, there was a period in the middle overs where there was nine change of bowlers in 10 overs.
It was outside the box thinking and it worked.
'The most incredible World Cup victory': Michael Vaughan
Let's have a hear what Michael Vaughan is saying about it on Test Match Special, which you can listen to on ABC Radio.
"It is the most incredible World Cup victory that I've seen," says the former England skipper.
"To do against this India side, who are a great team, against the odds and against the pitch, which was for the hosts.
"This Australia side and their tactical team, they got it right.
"They did exactly what Pat Cummins said they would, they've silenced the crowd.
"They've done it in great fashion.
"I don't know anyone who thought the game would be done in 43 overs with Australia coasting to the target."
Key Event
Travis Head is player of the match
I mean, who else was it going to be?
He was also player of the match in the World Test Championship final as well, also against India.
And the semifinal on Thursday.
Big game player, Travis Head, who missed the start of the tournament through injury, is speaking now.
"What an amazing day. I'm just thrilled to be a part of it.
"It's a lot better than sitting on the couch at home," Head said.
"I felt like the way Mitch Marsh came out really set the tone.
"It turned out to be a great decision to bowl first [at the toss] because the pitch did get better as the day went on.
"It's great to be a part of it and play a role."
On the catch.
"He's probably the most unlucky man in the world," Head jokes of Rohit Sharma.
"It's something that I worked hard on. Nice to hold on to something that important."
Virat Kohli has had a superb tournament
Yet it has ended in disaster.
A fifth-straight score of 50 or more, but his dismissal really turned the game to Australia.
There are still some people there
Is there anyone left in the grandstand, or have they all given up and gone home?
- Courtney
A lot of them have gone though.
Head the star
Brilliant play by the Aussies. Congratulations to all but especially Head with his catch & batting. Bowlers stepped up.
- Sue
'how good' Glenn Maxwell full of praise
"How good were those two," Glenn Maxwell says.
"Marnus soaking up the pressure, Heady with the ball striking."
He says his winning hit was a bit of a "shank" but he was happy to hit the runs.
I must say, it is incredible how quiet it is - the interviews are echoing around the stadium.
It's incredible.
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