Several Indian hearts were broken once more, but none hurt more than those of the 11 who sacrificed everything throughout the previous 45 days. India may not have emerged victorious from the 2023 World Cup, losing to Australia by six wickets in the championship match.
Glenn Maxwell’s game-winning runs for Australia left Mohammed Siraj in tears, despite Jasprit Bumrah’s best efforts to comfort him. KL Rahul was on his knees, while Virat Kohli had to cover his face with a cap as he walked back. The image of captain Rohit Sharma unable to control his tears was the most heartbreaking of all. With a confident, athletic demeanor, Rohit shook hands with each opponent, moved silently off the ground in silence.
Indian batting, which has terrorized opponents for the past month and a half, could barely walk all the way to 240. And with the ball, they gave up a 192-run partnership that ultimately took the game away from them, even if they made early progress at 47/3. Arguably the finest knock in a World Cup final came from Travis Head, the player who tortured India in the World Test Championship final. Yes, there are a few well-known players, like Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards, Aravinda de Silva, and Adam Gilchrist, but Head’s century stands out simply because of the circumstances, the bowling attack, and the times.
“What an amazing day! Just thrilled to be a part of it. It’s a lot better than seeing the World Cup on the couch at home (on his injury). I was a little bit nervous but Marnus played exceptionally well and soaked all the pressure. I felt the way Mitch [Marsh] took the game on set the tone and that was the energy we wanted. It was a great decision to bowl first and the wicket got better as the game went on. It paid dividends and nice to play a role. Again, it is something I work hard on and nice to hold on and contribute in front of a full house. Definitely third on the list and nice to contribute,” Head, awarded the Player of the Match, stated.
