The Indian cricket team fell at the final hurdle in the Cricket World Cup 2023, losing the final to Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Having gone unbeaten in the tournament until the final, Rohit Sharma‘s men couldn’t pass 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, PM Narendra Modi paid them a visit in the dressing room and tried to motivate the players.
Ravindra Jadeja, one of the pillars of the Indian team, took to social media as he revealed PM Modi’s special post-match gesture for the players.
“We had a great tournament but we ended up short yesterday. We are all heartbroken but the support of our people is keeping us going. PM @narendramodi’s visit to the dressing room yesterday was special and very motivating,” Jadeja tweeted along with a picture of PM Modi in the Indian team’s dressing room.
We had a great tournament but we ended up short yesterday. We are all heartbroken but the support of our people is keeping us going. PM @narendramodi‘s visit to the dressing room yesterday was special and very motivating. pic.twitter.com/q0la2X5wfU
— Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) November 20, 2023
PM Modi was present at the venue to watch the two cricketing giants square off. He even handed over the World Cup trophy to Australia skipper Pat Cummins after the team’s triumph.
A much-fancied India team led by skipper Rohit Sharma went into Sunday’s final in front of nearly 100,000 fans in Ahmedabad undefeated and favourites to capture the one-day crown.
But they were outplayed by Pat Cummins’ Australia, going down to 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 global title came a decade ago with the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Sunday was also India’s second loss to the Australians in a final in five months, after they went down in the World Test Championship decider in June.
India won the one-day World Cup in 1983 and 2011, but then faltered at the semi-final stage in 2015 and 2019.
With AFP inputs
Topics mentioned in this article
