Australia opt to bowl against India in World Cup final

India's captain Rohit Sharma, left, tosses the coin up in the air as Australia's captain Pat Cummins looks on during the coin toss before the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final match between Australia and India in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP)
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Updated 19 November 2023
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Australia opt to bowl against India in World Cup final

  • Both teams remain unchanged for the clash at the world’s biggest cricket stadium where Australia look for a sixth title
  • Rohit Sharma’s India have won all their 10 matches of tournament and retain the winning XI from win over New Zealand

AHMEDABAD: Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to field first against undefeated India in the World Cup final to be played in front of 130,000 fans in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Both teams remain unchanged for the clash at the world’s biggest cricket stadium where Australia, playing in an eighth final, look for a sixth title.
India won the World Cup in 1983 and then again on home soil in 2011.
Rohit Sharma’s India have won all their 10 matches at the tournament and retain the winning XI from their 70-run semifinal win over New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Rohit said he would have opted to bat first had he won the toss.
“I’d have batted first, it looks a good pitch, it’s a big game, let’s put runs on the board,” said Rohit as the crowd roared.
“It’s going to be amazing. The biggest occasion in terms of cricket events. We have to stay calm and get the job done.”
The hosts are looking to end a global title drought since their Champions Trophy win in 2013.
Red-hot Virat Kohli leads the tournament batting chart with 711 runs after he smashed a record 50th ODI century in the semis to surpass compatriot Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 tons.
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami tops the bowling list with 23 wickets in six matches.
Cummins announced the same team which won a nervy semifinal against South Africa by three wickets in Kolkata on Thursday.
In the group stage, they lost to India in their opener by six wickets and to South Africa by 134 runs before putting together an eight-game winning streak.
“Looks like a bit of a dry wicket and we wanted to bowl first. Dew is one factor and it’s quite dewy in the night at this venue,” said Cummins.
“Been really proud of the group. Tough start to the tournament but they haven’t put a foot wrong since.”
Australia hammered India in the 2003 World Cup final in Johannesburg.

Teams
India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wkt), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (capt), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood


Excitement building ahead of Formula E return to Jeddah

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Excitement building ahead of Formula E return to Jeddah

  • Fastest electric race car drivers will compete in the only night races on the Formula E calendar
  • Grammy Award-winning rapper and singer-songwriter Future will take to the stage for an unforgettable concert on Friday, Feb. 13

JEDDAH: With just 30 days to go excitement is building ahead of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s return to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Feb. 13–14, 2026, following a record-breaking debut on the Red Sea Coast last season. The celebrated track — the world’s fastest street circuit — will once again be transformed into a floodlit showcase of speed and innovation as the fastest electric race car drivers compete in the only night races on the Formula E calendar.

The Jeddah E-Prix not only showcases the future of sustainable motorsport but also cements Saudi Arabia’s growing status as a global destination for major sporting events.

The 3.001km Jeddah Corniche Circuit is one of Formula E’s most exciting challenges: an anticlockwise street track lined with 19 sweeping turns and spectacular views of the Red Sea. Known for its speed and precision, it pushes drivers to their limits, while fans can look forward to daring overtakes and strategic battles as competitors hit the Attack Zone at Turn 13.

Fans can expect more than just wheel-to-wheel racing at the Jeddah E-Prix, with world-class live entertainment including a headline act by Grammy Award-winning rapper and singer-songwriter Future, who will take to the stage for an unforgettable concert on Friday, Feb. 13. Across the two-day event, fans can also explore interactive zones and enjoy a wide variety of food offerings alongside adrenaline-fueled entertainment experiences in the Fan Zone.

2025 JEDDAH E-PRIX — An Unforgettable Debut

Following six landmark seasons in Diriyah, the championship’s move to Jeddah in 2025 had an immediate impact, with last year’s double-header becoming the most-watched Formula E weekend in history, attracting more than 65 million viewers worldwide.

Indeed, the Jeddah E-Prix weekend delivered non-stop drama under the lights, with the action going right down to the wire on the first night. In a thrilling final-lap showdown, Maximilian Günther claimed a commanding win for DS Penske in Friday’s race, with Oliver Rowland hot on his heels and Taylor Barnard — then driving for NEOM McLaren — completing the podium.

Twenty-four hours later, Rowland turned the tables, charging to victory on Saturday ahead of Barnard and Jake Hughes — then driving for Maserati — to close out an electric weekend of racing by the Red Sea.

Off-track, the Jeddah E-Prix had no shortage of star power. Global music icons Akon and Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Baby lit up the fan stage with unforgettable headline performances, keeping the energy high long after the chequered flag.

The event also drew a glittering crowd of VIP guests, from boxing star Chris Eubank Jr. and footballer Riyad Mahrez to Georgina Rodríguez, entrepreneur, model, and partner to Cristiano Ronaldo, underscoring the E-Prix’s growing reputation as a must-attend fixture on the global sporting and entertainment calendar.

Formula E Drivers Full of Praise

Drivers and podium finishers from last season’s Jeddah E-Prix hailed the race weekend as a resounding success, praising the circuit and Saudi Arabia’s renowned hospitality

Season 11 Drivers’ Champion and Round 4 Jeddah E-Prix winner, Oliver Rowland (Nissan), is excited to return to Jeddah next month commenting: “The night race with the lights and the spectacle is one of the best things about Jeddah…I had a really successful weekend finishing first and second in Season 11, so I’m really looking forward to Season 12 and hopefully we can do the same.”

Maximilian Günther (DS Penske), who secured his first victory with DS Penske in the Round 3 Jeddah E-Prix, also praised last year’s race weekend: “Jeddah was fantastic for us. We had a great pace, great strategy on that day. We achieved pole position and the race win, so I have very good memories of Jeddah. I think the whole event is outstanding. The track is so good, so fast and just a perfect fit for Formula E because you really saw the speed of the cars, overtaking — perfect mix for year one. There is a lot of enthusiasm about motorsports in Saudi... I just enjoy being there. Everything is very well organized. We get an amazing welcome.”

Nyck de Vries (Mahindra) was also impressed, commenting: “The Jeddah race last year was very good for us, especially on Saturday. We were happy to be fighting at the front and to score a top five finish (P4). I think racing under the floodlights always makes the racing a little bit more exciting and dramatic. All the emotions are a bit amplified. So, I personally really enjoyed the race.”

The drivers’ undeniable enthusiasm and excitement at returning to Jeddah further underlines why the Jeddah E-Prix is one of the most eagerly anticipated stops on the Formula E calendar, showcasing the Jeddah Corniche Circuit— and Saudi Arabia— as a world-class stage for elite motorsport.

Season 12 – The Season So Far

Season 12 kicked off on December 6, 2025, where Andretti Formula E’s Jake Dennis converted his pole position into a victory in a hectic season opening race. It marked Dennis’ first win since Diriyah in 2024.

Last weekend’s second round in Mexico City was another thrilling race where Citroën Racing’s Nick Cassidy made up 12 positions in a calculated, pitch-perfect drive to head home Edoardo Mortara (Mahindra Racing) and reigning champion Oliver Rowland (Nissan Formula E Team) for a win in only the French automotive giant’s second race in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

This result now sees Cassidy top the Drivers’ table with 40 points to Dennis’ 36 and Rowland with 34. Citroën leads Andretti in the Teams’ Standings 44 to 36 points. In the Manufacturers’ World Championship, Stellantis has a seven-point lead on Porsche.

Ahead of the all-electric series’ return to the Middle East, the championship will first continue with Round 3 in Miami on 31 January 2026 at the Miami International Autodrome, located at the Hard Rock Stadium, where another exhilarating instalment of Season 12 awaits.

JEDDAH E-PRIX TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

With record crowds expected and the world’s top drivers returning to battle under the lights, the 2026 Jeddah E-Prix promises to deliver an unforgettable showcase of speed, innovation, and spectacle on the shores of the Red Sea.

Tickets for the much-anticipated event are now on sale via WeBook, starting from 100 SAR for single day passes and 180 SAR for two-day access.