India all-rounder Hardik Pandya sent a special message for his teammates on the eve of the ICC World Cup 2023 final and urged the Men in Blue to "bring the cup home".
Pandya played the first four ODIs for India in their campaign before he was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury which he suffered in the league match against Bangladesh last month.
Hardik bleeding blur for India
Pandya came to cheer for his teammates in the semi-final against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai earlier this week.
He has since been working hard on his recovery from the injury but is expected to miss India's next two assignments after the World Cup against Australia and South Africa.
But even though he's not going to be with his teammates on the field or in the dressing room for the final, Pandya made sure to wish India good luck ahead of the summit clash in Ahmedabad.
'One step away from glory'
"Boys, I could not be more proud of this team. Everything we have done so far, how far we have come has been a credit to years of hard work behind us. We are now one step away from glory, from doing something special which we have dreamt of since we were children.
"Lifting the cup not just for ourselves, for the billion people behind us. Always with you with my love, all my heart. Now let's bring the cup home," Pandya said in a video message on social media.
IND vs AUS: The big final preview
India will be taking on five-time champions Australia in the ODI World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (Nov 19).
This is the second time the two teams will meet in the summit clash of a World Cup after the 2003 edition in South Africa where Australia hammers India to defend and lift their third title.
But unlike last time, this year India are heading into the summit clash as the favourites and the only undefeated team in this edition. Australia had lost to India in their first match of the league stage last month and will be vary of the threat that the home side possesses with bat and ball.
India has previously won the World Cup twice in 1983 and 2011 while Australia clinched it in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015.
