It was 2:00 P.M. An ecstatic confidence was radiating from the eyes of our fighters. The magnificence of blue had engulfed the entire stadium. Spirits of patriotism resonated everywhere. The chant “Indiaaa Indiaaa” continued to echo in the corridors of our heart. The vision of Team India holding the cup aloft seemed neither farfetched nor a desperate anticipation.
Not ‘Dreams coming true” but “just a step away from reality” could better portray the spring tide prevailing amongst the swarming blues that afternoon. India’s flawless victory in all the previous ten matches justified this attitude. It is not surprising how the impassive singing of the national anthem as a monotonous ritual of daily assembly in school turns out to be so exuberant on this rare occasion. Desperation for something so big made it ostensibly lucid to achieve.
However, luck was in favor of Australia this time as they won the toss and chose to field. My mother commented that it was an astute decision on part of the Australian team to opt for fielding first as the dewdrops in the second half of the match would make it challenging to grip and spin the ball, render the pitch slippery that would be unfavorable for the fielders, thereby giving an upper hand to the batsman resulting in powerful shots. Her words indeed came true. Still, Australian team’s victory cannot be credited solely to luck.
Their extraordinary fielding, commendable bowling and unwavering spirits even amidst legions of Indian supporters were crucial determinants of their winning. When captains of both the teams were asked to give their statements before the commencement of the match, Pat Cummins, captain of Australian team said, “In sport, there is nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent”. Now, I understand what he meant. His confidence sparkled in his words and persisted in his actions until the end.
However, Australian team’s victory could not overshadow my reflections on our team, “TEAM INDIA”. I was overwhelmed by a rainbow of emotions. Not a bit exaggerating, contrasting feelings like anguish and pride, disappointment and contentment, pragmatism and irrationality simultaneously took over my mind. This labyrinth of emotions made it almost impossible to figure out my actual mental state in that moment when Australia required only 3 runs from 47 balls.
I am proud that India reached the finale after witnessing glory in all the previous matches. However, I am disappointed not because they lost, but because they lost their grip on the match early on and failed to deliver that intense competition expected in a world cup. Had they put up a tough fight and then lost, my unconsoled heart would have easily accepted that failure is a part and parcel of life. I empathize with our cricketers as fighting in the battlefield with billions of hopes on the shoulders is no child’s play.
Sometimes, the presence of a huge supportive crowd may become counterproductive and be perceived as a pressure to win. Australian team losing their initial three wickets ushered in a ray of hope, but it was ephemeral and faded away quickly. With the Australian team’s chances of winning the game becoming more prominent, rising palpitations, cold sweat in hands and feet and flushed ears made it increasingly suffocative to bear with the rest of the match.
Despite the despair in last five overs, I held onto the sense of positivity and hoped for India’s potential comeback. The match reminded me of the intriguing FIFA World Cup last year when France made a sudden comeback and held their grounds till the end. The finale match between New Zealand and England in the last ICC World Cup of 2019 was by far more thrilling, a match to remember for lifetime.
It is not always the winners who are cherished. Sometimes, the runner ups’ landmark performances are also etched in the pages of History and glorified even more than the winners. Tragic heroes fighting with spirits till their last breath are often commemorated more than those emerging victorious. If not winner, I wanted India to be one of those tragic heroes persisting till the end, not giving a ounce of opportunity to its opposition.
Nevertheless, India fought hard. Lack of strategy and somewhat inefficient fielding turned out to be fatal for them. The shadow of failure in the tears of our players broke millions of our hearts. Now, it is our turn to prove our true sportsmanship. Instead of blaming and abusing our men, we must stand by them, encourage them for their achievements.
Virat Kohli being declared as THE MAN OF THE TOURNAMENT with the groundbreaking record of 765 runs, Rohit Sharma finishing on the second with 597 runs, Mohammad Shami being declared as the MOST WICKET TAKER in 2023 world cup are matters of pride to us. Let’s not let our enthusiasm be charred by this unprecedented failure and hope for the best next time.