India's heartbreak at the finish line

In the end, there was eerie silence. An occasion that was supposed to be the crowning glory for a seemingly unstoppable Indian team, having won ten matches on the trot and entertained through six weeks, concluded with forlorn faces and sullen spirits. India's dream, criss-crossing nine venues, 11 games and 46 days, remains unfulfilled.

They don't join Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni's teams as winners of the ODI World Cup. Skipper Rohit Sharma and his India teammates are runners-up instead, not having the right to claim the tag of world champions. That honour goes to Australia for a record-extending sixth time. And it's thoroughly deserved finals are about turning up and putting out your best version.

The Aussies, led by Pat Cummins producing 2/29 including the scalp of Virat Kohli at a critical juncture, did just that. They first restricted the hosts to 240 and then knocked off the target with seven overs to spare and six wickets in hand. Travis Head cracked a counterattacking century and stitched together a partnership of 192 with Marnus Labuschagne for the fourth wicket.

The only blemish in an otherwise stunning innings was that Head couldn't see it through, holing out in the deep with two runs to get. Glenn Maxwell hit the winning runs off his first ball as the Australian players rushed on to the field to the sound of firecrackers.