‘What an incredible comeback from Heady'

Australia's Travis Head became just the seventh batter to score a hundred in a World Cup final when he achieved the feat against India in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

The opener's 137 sealed a record-extending sixth World Cup title for his side in a comprehensive six-wicket defeat of an India team who had won all 10 of their previous games at the tournament.

Head's hundred was also the third by an Australian in a World Cup final following match-winning efforts of 140 not out by Ricky Ponting in 2003 and Adam Gilchrist's 149 four years later.

"What an incredible comeback from 'Heady' (Travis Head). Injured in South Africa. Came back in, scoring a hundred in his first game and then hit a hundred here tonight in front of a jam-packed crowd. He's just absolutely phenomenal," said opener David Warner after winning the final against India.

Not deemed worthy of a spot in Australia's XI for their first match in India this year, Head finished player of the match in each of the newly-crowned world champions final two ODIs.

Head's match-winning World Cup final century is the latest checkpoint in a staggering rise from in-and-out batter to out-and-out superstar.

The 29-year-old's remarkable return from a broken hand that nearly ruled him out of the tournament was capped by him joining Adam Gilchrist and fellow legend Ricky Ponting as Australians to have made tons in deciding matches of the pinnacle men's ODI event.

It came in a fairytale all-round finish to the mega event; in addition to scoring 62 off 48 on a tough Eden Gardens surface in the semifinal against South Africa, he also took two crucial wickets, before taking one of his best-ever catches to dismiss "Hitman" Rohit Sharma in the final.

Having idolised fellow left-hander Gilchrist as a child – he lists the legendary 'keeper-batter's squash-ball-in-the-glove hundred in the 2007 final as one of his foremost cricket memories – Head now has his own remarkable century tale.

"Just thrilled to be a part of it," man-of-the-match Head told Star Sports after the final.

"It's a lot better than seeing the World Cup on the couch at home (on his injury)," he added.