AHMEDABAD: Even as Travis Head's scintillating hundred was the cornerstone of Australia's sixth ODI World Cup triumph on Sunday night, the heart-warming story of Marnus Labuschagne, who played an equally vital role in the six-wicket win in the final against hosts India at the Narendra Modi Stadium, stroking a patient 58 not out in a match-winning 192-run partnership for Australia for the fourth wicket, which took the World Champions to the title after they had been reduced to 47 for three, is the stuff fairytales are made of.
Talking to the reporters with a World Cup winners' medal hanging around his neck, the 29-year-old stunned everyone when he revealed that he wasn't sure if he would play in the summit clash until 10pm the previous day. The irony of Labuschagne being Australia's improbable World Cup hero doesn't end there. It starts with the fact that he wasn't initially thought to be good enough to play in the tournament in the first place.
Originally left out of an 18-man squad for the tournament, he was supposed to be the guy warming the benches when Australia's star players returned.
"You guys know (that) I'm a man of faith, and I believe in God. The way everything that's happened, it's unbelievable to me. It's just amazing. I'm lost for words. The amount of times I thought. 'I'm done.' Even last night, I didn't get named until about 10.10pm. I thought, 'It might be dewy, I might be out.' So, I'm very thankful to them for sticking with me. Three months ago, I wasn't even in South Africa in the One-Day team. To play 19 games straight from there is truly a miracle. I give thanks to God for that," Labuschagne said in the ICC's 'Mixed Media' zone, his voice naturally choking with emotion, as he proudly displayed the World Cup winners' medal around his neck.
"It's hard for me not to believe in miracles, and that there's someone above putting the pieces together," he said, while revealing the thoughts going through his head on Saturday night, before he was told he indeed WAS in the XI. "I was sitting on my bed. And I was actually thinking: How can I add value then if I'm not playing? Maybe fielding?. Then at quarter past 10, the team got sent out and it just said 'same team'. So that was a bit of a relief," he said.
Less than four months ago, the Australian selectors, fed up with Labuschagne's ordinary ODI record till then- averaging 25.80 with a strike rate of 77.98- sent a strong message to the Queenslander by leaving him out of their provisional World Cup squad. His journey from there to playing every match of the tournament -he's played 19 on the trot since his comeback-to a starring role in the final on Sunday is nothing short of inspirational.
After the initial snub, Labuschagne was a late inclusion in the Australian squad for the five-match ODI series in South Africa due to a wrist injury to Steve Smith. He was initially benched for the XI picked for the first game in Bloemfontein. However, fate had a different thing stored for him. Walking in at No 8 as a concussion substitute to Cameron Green, he smashed an unbeaten 80 off 93 balls to seal a fabulous come-from-behind victory for Australia, after they had collapsed to 113 for seven in the 17th over, chasing 223.
He didn't look back after that. Having earned his place in the starting XI for the next game, he smashed an ODI career-best 124 from 99 balls to help Australia record a 123-run lead and a 2-0 series lead. The Aussies went on to lose back-to-back away ODI series after that against the Proteas and India, but Labuschagne kept impressing so much that the selectors were forced to pick him in the 15-man World Cup squad.
To begin with, he was basically a cover for Head, who missed the initial games in the World Cup due to his hand injury. Somehow, Labuschagne clung on to his spot in the XI. Those who were supposed to replace him were either injured or unavailable due to personal issues. At times, as a specialist batter, he was preferred over the all-rounders in the side. And he kept proving his worth. By the time the knockouts arrived, Labuschagne became indispensable, managing to keep a fine all-rounder like Marcus Stoinis out. Eventually, he vindicated that faith, finishing with 362 runs, including three fifties from 10 innings at an average of 40.22.
"I think I was unofficially dropped five times, but played every game. I wasn't in the squad in South Africa. Someone got concussed, I got an opportunity, got some runs, pushed my case, got in the squad, played 19 games since the first South Africa (ODI) in a row. So, it's hard for me not to think, you know, as a man of faith, that there's not someone else pulling the strings. I give thanks to God for that. I'm very thankful for the coaches and selectors for sticking by me … luckily I got us over the line," he said.
In the final, his 58 not out off 110 balls -he provided the calm head that Australia required in the middle to assist the rampaging Head-could easily have been mistaken for a Test knock, if not for coloured clothing. "What we've achieved today is unbelievable. It's the best achievement I've ever been a part of. We knew if we played our best cricket, we would have a chance," Labuschagne said.
Having played with and against Head since the Under-15s, Labuschagne enjoys a special equation with the white-ball opener, who had a completely distinct style of batting to him. "It's almost the perfect pair out there for that sort of scenario. Me absorbing the pressure at one end, Heady putting pressure back on them at the other. We played a beautiful hand, because I'm playing such a low-risk game, not letting them in, Heady's taking the game on … they're kind of getting punched from both ends. We just kept saying to each other, 'Just keep playing your way'. He said (when victory was in sight) 'I'm gonna finish it this over'. I really wish he was out there for the finish … It was such a special innings," said Labuschagne.
