The Cricket World Cup will finally see its long-awaited victory on Sunday. After the tournament, which lasts one and a half months and includes 48 matches, Australia and India will fight for the World Cup championship in Ahmedabad.
The home team is the clear favorite and the 132,000 enthusiastic fans in the stadium expect nothing less than a victory. More than a billion citizens watch on television. They don’t do expectation management either.
New India
Because this is the new India, the India of 2023. A country that exudes self-confidence, experiencing unprecedented economic growth, surpassing China this year as the country with the most population, and becoming the first country in the south to achieve success. the country’s lunar pole.
And the country that has upset rivals after rivals in the Cricket World Cup. Careless, almost terrified. But especially when your chest is forward. Because this is also the team of new India captain and batsman Rohit Sharma. And from a god in the making: Virat Kohli.
You have always been able to play cricket in India. Falling into the hands of British invaders in the early 18th century, the sport spread like wildfire across the vast country. Cricket quickly became the national sport.
Moreover, it has become a way of life, almost a religion. The poverty-stricken population found variety in the game of sticks and balls and even found a way to escape and escape poverty. Those who succeeded were deified.
little master
In 1983, India won the World Cup under the leadership of charismatic captain Kapil Dev. In 2011, this feat was repeated with the help of Sachin Tendulkar. It was a fitting culmination for India’s favorite son, who went on to become one of the greatest batsmen of all time and set a staggering number of records as his own.
Tendulkar’s height is 1.65 meters but it is difficult to understand his status in India. The “little master” excited the cricket world with his brushstrokes. The fame this brought him was hard for him. Walking on the street was out of the question. Occasionally, at four in the morning, he would take his dark car and go to see his beloved Mumbai.
Now 50, this man is extremely friendly, endearingly shy and even a little boring. He sat in the commentary booth at the start of this World Cup and then spent a minute muttering under his breath about wearing leg guards before the match. Other commentators said they were disturbed but did not dare to intervene.
Tendulkar, however loved and respected, is a relic of ancient India. Kohli is the new king. He is confident, distant and has fire-breathing eyes. He makes crazy moves with his lavishly tattooed arms and delights the audience. And countless fans are enjoying it in their blue Kohli jerseys.
Kohli’s passion is not just limited to looks. The 35-year-old number three in the India batting line-up has been scoring high scores for years and is also at the top of the top scorer list in this World Cup. He broke Tendulkar’s world record by scoring his 50th century (100 or more points) against New Zealand in the semi-final. King Kohli pointed his bat at his predecessor in the VIP box and the little master clapped his hands.
egocentrism
Sometimes Indian egocentrism goes a little too far. The Indian Cricket Association announced the schedule very late and ticket sales started much later (just a few weeks before the World Cup). As a result, stadium seats were almost exclusively occupied by Indians, especially at the beginning of the tournament.
There were absolutely no Pakistanis there. Fans of the arch-enemy could live without a visa, and the work of the Pakistani press became almost impossible. Even the Dutch national team’s players of Pakistani origin received their visas very late.
Before the semi-final against New Zealand, it was decided at the last minute and behind the backing of the international federation to use a different pitch. Something that would suit Indian players better. Not forbidden, not unique, but noteworthy.
India have perhaps the best team ever and there is no need for such antics as they are playing like a dream. But the World Cup should and will be an Indian party. A tribute to the glory, strength and power of India, the new India.
Only Australia can stop India. The record champions (five titles) started the tournament badly but now they have succeeded. With strong bowlers and talismanic batsman Glenn Maxwell, anything is possible. But in India, no one really takes this into consideration.
Source: NOS
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
