In a sensational turn of events, the Indian cricket team’s aspirations of clinching the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 came to a halt following a decisive loss to Australia in the grand final on Sunday. India, arriving at the final as the tournament favorites with a remarkable 10-game winning streak, faced an Australia side that chose the ultimate stage to showcase their best performance, sealing the match by six wickets.
It was a day of disappointment as India, the best team throughout this World Cup, stumbled on the final hurdle, delivering an uncharacteristically lackluster showing. With their array of cricketing talent, the expectation was for a very close contest, but it was not to be.
Australian opener Travis Head provided a masterclass in batting with a commanding 137, complemented by his vital catch to dismiss Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Marnus Labuschagne, too, played a pivotal role, contributing an unbeaten 58 runs. Tasked with a target of 241 for victory, the Australian team achieved the win comfortably, with six wickets in hand and seven overs to spare.
Adding to the glitter of the occasion, numerous high-profile attendees were present, including Bollywood stars Anushka Sharma and Athiya Shetty, married to Indian cricket stalwarts Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, respectively. A particular moment saw the cameras focusing on both actors, which prompted the commentators to discuss the superstitions held by players’ family members. One commentator remarked, “The family members have superstition. Till the time these two are playing they will sit at one place.”
However, it was a comment by Harbhajan Singh that ignited controversy. While on air, he was heard saying, “Yahi main soch raha tha ki baat cricket ki ho rahi hogi ya phir films ki…kyunki cricket ke baare mein toh main jaanta nahi kitni samajh hogi” (This is what I was thinking if they are talking about cricket or films…Because I don’t know how much they understand cricket). This observation sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for an immediate apology from the renowned cricketer-turned-commentator.
As the final played out, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma conceded that his team’s efforts, particularly with the bat, fell short of the mark. With India being bowled out for a substandard total of 240 on a challenging surface, the Australian triumph seemed to come with relative ease. Reflecting upon the defeat, Rohit stated, “The result hasn’t gone our way and we know that we were not good enough on the day. But I am proud of the team. Honestly, 20-30 runs (more) would’ve been good. We didn’t bat well enough.”
At one point during their innings, India appeared in a position to set a more daunting score, with Rohit recounting, “I thought when KL and Virat were batting, we were looking at 270-280 at that point but we kept losing wickets.” The captain’s remarks underline a sense of what might have been for a side that had shown such promise throughout the tournament.
The Australian team’s victory adds yet another World Cup title to their illustrious cricketing history, now holding a record six 50-over world championships. As both teams reflect on the outcome, the cricketing world turns its attention to future engagements, with anticipation building for the next global cricketing event. Fans can find the latest updates on the World Cup 2023, along with schedules and news, across various social media platforms and the NDTV Cricket app available for Android and iOS devices.