The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka took place in Colombo on August 2, 2024. A light-hearted moment between star cricketers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma due to a creative fan poster spread fast on social media during the time when the Indian team took the field. As the players for the Indian team were assembled near the boundary ropes, Kohli’s attention was turned to a fan holding an imaginative poster in the stands. He immediately brought it to Sharma’s attention.
The poster was a concept redesign of the Bollywood classic film ‘Lagaan,’ with the present Indian cricket team imitating the movie’s characters. Titled “Modern Day Lagaan Warriors,” the poster was a spoof of sorts, with the face of the lead actor of the movie, Aamir Khan, replaced with that of Indian skipper Sharma. Other teammates were so smartly integrated into the art that it became an instant hit between both players, followed by a limitless burst of laughter.
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The redesigned poster had gone viral last year itself when India had beaten England in the ODI World Cup. Kohli and Sharma were the top two run-getters in that ICC event which was hosted in India. More significantly, the 37-year-old Kohli had spearheaded India to their second T20 World Cup title with the team winning the 2024 T20 World Cup held in West Indies and the USA in June.
Virat Kohli’s priceless after seeing the poster at Colombo. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/SmIxnkckrm
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) August 5, 2024
The first ODI in Colombo was one such game, unforgettable for several reasons. Sri Lanka, the hosts, put up 230/8 in their quota of 50 overs. Though their captain got them off to a great start, the Indian batsmen could not capitalize on it, and the game ended in a tie.
In the second ODI, Charith Asalanka and his team set a target of 240/9 in their 50 overs. The chase for India got off to a good start, with Sharma providing 64 and Shubman Gill contributing 35 for an opening stand.
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The Indian team was, however, finally cleaned out for 208 runs, thereby allowing Sri Lanka to win by 32 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the series. In fact, the light-hearted banter between Kohli and Sharma over the poster of the fan was a welcome sight amidst the intense competition that showed that cricket, after all, is still a game and at the end of the day, it is just that: a game; there lies an all-important relationship between players and fans.
