Edit: On top of the world

The agony of defeat and ecstasy of victory can co-exist — the Indian cricket team knows this better and has experienced it all

Sport is a great leveller; it can be cruel and merciful in equal measure; rewarding sometimes and humbling at other times. In the world of competitive sports, the agony of defeat and the ecstasy of victory can co-exist. The Indian cricket team knows this better and has experienced it all. On Saturday, tears of joy flowed from the eyes of not just the ‘Men in Blue’ but the millions of Indians who were following the moments of glory unfolding on the Barbados pitch. As Rohit Sharma’s men held their nerve to edge past South Africa in a thrilling final and claim the T20 World Cup, emotions were flowing thick and fast. It was truly a watershed moment for Indian cricket, lifting the cup after a gap of 17 long years. The MS Dhoni-led side had won the inaugural T20 event in 2007; he also steered the ODI World Cup victory in 2011. The latest win, virtually snatched from the jaws of defeat, was all the more special as it came as a redemption after the heartbreak in Ahmedabad in November last year when India lost to Australia in the 50-over World Cup final. The ghosts of that heart-breaking defeat, after winning ten matches in a row with complete domination, finally lie buried now. The nation must savour this extraordinary moment and salute the Men in Blue who have shown true grit and character.

India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup without losing a game in the tournament, having won all eight matches in a row. Also, it is the third country, after the West Indies and England, to lift the cup for the second time. At 176, India piled up the highest total by any team in the final of the T20 World Cup. Australia’s 173 against New Zealand in 2021 was the previous highest. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, among India’s greatest cricketers of all time, have announced their retirement from T20 International matches, along with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the coach Rahul Dravid. The timing could not have been better. They leave on a high, passing on the baton to the next generation with a win that will stand the test of time. Fittingly, Rohit, who holds the record of the highest number of runs and sixers in the T-20 matches, showed the younger generation the aggressive template, taking it upon himself to do the hard yards as an opener while Kohli showed how to own big-game pressure. Dravid, whose greatest blight as an India captain happened in the Caribbean in 2007 when his team exited the ODI World Cup in group stages, was seeking redemption in his last game as India coach on the same shores. Rohit needed this T20 triumph to join the pantheons of great leaders that include Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni.

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