The Indian cricket team fell at the last hurdle of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, losing the final to Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Having remained unbeaten in the tournament till the final, Rohit Sharma’s men could not crack the final test as their dream of lifting the trophy remained unfulfilled. The Indian players were understandably dejected after losing the final. But on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited them in the dressing room and tried to motivate the players.
Ravindra Jadeja, one of the pillars of the Indian team, took to social media to reveal Prime Minister Modi’s special gesture for the players after the match.
“We had a great tournament but fell short yesterday. We are all heartbroken but the support of our people keeps us going. PM @narendramodi’s visit to the dressing room yesterday was special and very motivating,” Jadeja tweeted together with a photo of Prime Minister Modi in the dressing room of the Indian team.
We had a great tournament, but fell short yesterday. We are all heartbroken, but the support of our people keeps us going. P.M @narendramodiThe visit to the dressing room yesterday was special and very motivating. pic.twitter.com/q0la2X5wfU
— Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) November 20, 2023
Prime Minister Modi was present at the venue to watch the two cricketing giants face off. He even presented the World Cup trophy to Australian skipper Pat Cummins after the team’s victory.
A fancied Indian team led by skipper Rohit Sharma went into Sunday’s final in front of almost 100,000 fans in Ahmedabad undefeated and favorites to clinch the one-day crown.
But they were outplayed by Pat Cummins’ Australia, handing them a six-wicket defeat and leaving players, fans and pundits with a familiar feeling of bitter disappointment.
India’s record makes for painful reading for its hundreds of millions of fanatical supporters.
Their last world title came a decade ago with the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Sunday also marked India’s second defeat to the Australians in a final in five months after they crashed out in the World Test Championship decider in June.
India won the one-day World Cup in 1983 and 2011, but then faltered in the semi-finals in 2015 and 2019.
With AFP inputs
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