Following their defeat to Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final, the Indian players were left with dejected expressions. Legendary cricketer Kapil Dev encouraged the players to move on from their defeat and learn from their mistakes, which ultimately led to their six-wicket loss.
“A sportsman must move on,” Kapil Dev stated to reporters. “One cannot carry this disappointment for the rest of their life. This is for the fans. A sportsman must move forward. What has happened cannot be undone. Continue working hard. That is what defines a sportsman. They played exceptionally well. However, they were unable to overcome the final hurdle. What we can learn from this setback is the essence of sportsmanship.”
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India’s campaign concluded unexpectedly with the final, despite having amassed ten consecutive victories, including one over eventual champions Australia. Throughout the league stage, the Indian team excelled in all areas and outperformed other tournament favorites. They entered the semi-finals as the only undefeated team and defeated New Zealand to secure a spot in their fourth ODI World Cup final.
However, in the final, India’s batsmen struggled to adapt to the challenging pitch and were bowled out for 240, with KL Rahul and Virat Kohli scoring half-centuries. Australia, on the other hand, cruised to victory in Ahmedabad thanks to an aggressive century from opener Travis Head.
Similar to India, Australia also lost three early wickets but rallied thanks to a massive fourth-wicket partnership between Head and Marnus Labuschagne.
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“We did everything we could from our side,” Rohit Sharma stated following the defeat. “But yeah, it wasn’t meant to be.” “We were unable to form a substantial partnership in that situation. And that’s precisely what Australia did to win the match. They formed a significant partnership following those three wickets,” he added.
The Indian team will return to action later this week when they face Australia in a five-match T20I series.
