India lose on & off the field

In a déjà vu moment, India found itself facing Australia in a World Cup final two decades after their encounter in the 2003 edition.

However, history repeated itself, and Australia emerged victorious once again, sealing their dominance in the cricketing world.

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed a clash of titans, reminiscent of the Johannesburg final in 2003, where Ricky Ponting's men had proven to be an unstoppable force.

Throughout the tournament, India displayed exceptional cricket, with standout performances from Virat Kohli and Mohammad Shami; Rohit Sharma showcasing exemplary leadership skills and providing explosive starts, and KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer playing pivotal roles.

Despite India's superb journey to the final, the fear of failure appeared to haunt them at the ultimate hurdle. The haunting "what ifs" lingered in the minds of fans and analysts alike – what if the pitch favored the batsmen, if India had won the toss, if key players had performed differently. The list of uncertainties seemed endless.

The Afghanistan-Australia match epitomised the spirit of the tournament. Australia, reeling at 91 for 7, witnessed an extraordinary innings from Glenn Maxwell, turning the game on its head and setting the tone for their eventual triumph.

Just as Allan Border's World Cup victory in 1987 marked the beginning of Australian cricket dominance, Pat Cummins lifting the trophy in 2023 reiterated their leading position in the cricketing landscape.

While the loss in the final may raise questions about India's big-match mentality, their journey to the summit clash showcased the team's resilience and skill.

Australia's familiarity with such high-pressure situations, compared to India's last ICC trophy in 2013, highlighted the need for developing a mindset conducive to winning crucial matches.

Beyond the on-field action, the World Cup provided a platform to showcase the passion of Indian cricket fans. The disappointment of defeat, however, was compounded by questionable fan behavior and tournament hosting.

India, hosting the tournament solo for the first time, witnessed fervent jingoism in stadiums, particularly during the match against Pakistan, where religious chants were used to taunt players.

This undesirable display was a stain on the spirit of sportsmanship. Additionally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) raised eyebrows by sanctioning a drinks break song-and-dance routine at the final, with a loud proclamation of India's victory.

This move was seen as compromising the role of the BCCI as a host of a global sporting event for the sake of political messaging.

The absence of foreign fans at stadiums and complaints about ticket access and stadium entry contradicted India's hospitality mantra of "atithi devo bhava" (the guest is god).

Rohit and Co should be proud of their performance, but arguably not the spectators and dear fans. Remember former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee famous line: Khel bhi jeeto, dil bhi jeeto (win the game and hearts too).