The sting of defeat in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final is still being felt by Australian cricketer Travis Head. South Africa clinched their first ICC tournament win in 28 years, defeating Australia by five wickets at Lord's. All-rounder Wiaan Mulder, Head's teammate at IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad, revealed a recent conversation with the Australian batter, shedding light on Head's emotional state after the match.

Mulder disclosed that Head was "broken" by the loss, but also lauded the high spirits in which the game was played. "I actually spoke to him (Head) last night on the phone," Mulder said. "He was chuffed for the way it went for us. Obviously, he was broken that they didn't win, but I think overall, the spirit of the game was really as high or as good as it could be." Mulder, who was celebrating with the South African team at Lord's, expressed his delight at the team's victory and the spirited celebrations that followed. He admitted to having hardly slept due to pre-match nerves and post-match festivities.

Head's performance in the WTC final was subdued compared to his previous heroics in big ICC events. In the first innings, he fell cheaply for a low score, contributing to Australia's struggles early in the match. Kyle Verreynne took a stunning catch to dismiss Head off Marco Jansen's bowling. While Steve Smith remained resilient, Australia's top order faltered against the relentless pressure from the South African pacers, Kagiso Rabada and Jansen.

This contrasts sharply with Head's stellar performance in the 2023 WTC final against India, where he scored a brilliant century, helping Australia secure the coveted mace. He also played a crucial role in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final against the same opponents, scoring a match-winning ton. Ricky Ponting has even said that Aiden Markram's knock was as good as either of Travis Head's centuries vs India in WTC and World Cup finals.

Despite the disappointment of the WTC final loss, the cricketing world acknowledges Head's talent and his ability to perform under pressure. He remains a key player for Australia across all formats of the game. Even Jasprit Bumrah acknowledged Head's impact on the game. "Jasprit is probably going to go down as one of the greatest fast bowlers to play the game," Head acknowledged Bumrah's impact on the game. "We're finding that at the moment, how challenging he can be and it's nice to play against that."

While the loss in the WTC final is undoubtedly a setback for Head and the Australian team, Mulder's revelation highlights the respect and camaraderie that exists between players, even amidst fierce competition. The "spirit of the game" remains a crucial aspect of cricket, and Mulder's conversation with Head exemplifies this sentiment. The focus now shifts to future tournaments and opportunities, where Head will undoubtedly look to bounce back and continue to make significant contributions to Australian cricket.