The Cricket World Cup 2023 concluded with Australia defeating India by six wickets in the final to claim their sixth title, a record for the prestigious tournament. However, following their triumph, Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has become the center of a significant controversy. In a rapidly circulating image on social media, Marsh is seen placing his feet on the World Cup trophy as the team celebrated their victory.
This act has been met with harsh criticism on social media, with many users accusing Marsh of disrespecting the trophy and the game itself. However, some individuals have defended the cricketer, citing examples of footballers who have done the same in other sports. Social media users have pointed out that in many football leagues, placing one’s foot on the trophy is a common practice during celebrations and that there have been no instances of disrespect towards the trophy in these cases.
Mitchell Marsh with the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/n2oViCDgna
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 20, 2023
Meanwhile, Pat Cummins, the victorious Australian captain, expressed his pride in leading his team to World Cup glory, stating that it was the “pinnacle in cricket.” He lauded his team’s performance, which dashed the hopes of tournament hosts India with a convincing six-wicket win.
No way ppl are ranting about this being disrespectful. Our culture is obviously different from theirs. Stop moral policing everywhere. This is what Indian players are subjected to on a daily basis when everything they do is scrutinized. Please give it a rest.#MitchellMarsh pic.twitter.com/0ZvgP5h4Ly
— 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 ®️ (@Kacharya17) November 20, 2023
The final marked a personal triumph for Cummins, whose decision to field first proved to be a masterstroke as India, the only unbeaten team remaining in the tournament after a remarkable run of 10 consecutive victories, was restricted to a modest 240 all out. “That’s huge, that’s the pinnacle in cricket, winning a World Cup, especially here in India, in front of a crowd like this,” Pat Cummins remarked triumphantly.
The year 2023 has been a rollercoaster of emotions for Cummins, both personally and professionally. In March, he was forced to return home from a tour of India to be with his ailing mother, Maria, before her passing.
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“I’ve obviously had a really big year. I know my family at home is watching, just got a message from dad saying he’s had a lot of 4:00 am wake-ups, not going to bed until 4:00 am, so he’s as pumped as anything. You sacrifice a lot to play for Australia and everyone in the team has and we’ve spent a lot of this year away but we do it for these moments,” Pat Cummins shared.
No way people are crying for this
This is very normal outside of India
No one respects the trophy, they respect the gameplay
Marsh can do whatever he wants he had won it
Stop crying and prepare for another worldcup #INDvsAUSfinal#CWC23Final #Australia #MitchellMarsh pic.twitter.com/eQqGbrlYlN— SB 2029 (@bishnoisaheb29) November 20, 2023
A trophy represents hard work and talent, not religious insignia. What you see in these three photos is ‘The world at my feet’ winning mentality.
They ‘respect’ the trophy by giving their everything to win it. https://t.co/YfKREJb7Or pic.twitter.com/MAoVHNeb9y
— Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) November 20, 2023
In a remarkable display of batting prowess, India’s star batsman Virat Kohli ended the match with a new record for the most runs scored at a single World Cup, tallying an impressive 765 runs.
However, when fast bowler Cummins dismissed Kohli for 54 on Sunday, leaving India at 148-4, a crowd of over 92,000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium fell into stunned silence. Prior to the match, Cummins, who finished the final with outstanding figures of 2-34 in 10 overs, had remarked that there was no better feeling for an opposition player than silencing a partisan home crowd.
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When asked if dismissing Kohli was a particularly satisfying moment in his cricket career, the 30-year-old replied: “I think so. We did take a second in the huddle just to acknowledge the silence that was going around the crowd. It just felt like it was one of those days where it was all made for him (Kohli) to score another hundred like he normally does — so that was satisfying.”
