5 most emotional moments for the Indian Team at Cricket World Cup 2019
World Cup 2019 was one of the most exciting editions of cricket's biggest prize, if not the most. The Indian cricket team was one of the favourites to win the title going into the tournament. With some great performances, the Indian cricket team made it to the semi-final but got knocked out by New Zealand in a game that took two days to complete due to rain.
While most teams were at their best, England emerged victorious after defeating New Zealand in a breathtaking final that went into the super over on 14 July 2019.
India’s performance was excellent throughout, but some moments in the tournament stood out. Let’s take a look at the top five emotional moments for the Indian cricket team in the 2019 World Cup held in England and Wales.
1. M S Dhoni’s run out in the World Cup semi-final
The world cup semi-final where India played New Zealand went on for two days due to rain, but it also kept all the fans on both sides on the edge of their seats. The Kiwis decided to bat first and went on to score 239 setting India up to chase 240. With the Indian cricket team losing its top-order very early on, tension started building, and they needed 42 runs in 24 balls towards the end with MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. MS Dhoni lost his wicket to a run out when they needed 32 off 14 balls. It was heartbreaking for Indian fans to see him walk out like that. They knew that was the end of India’s hopes in the 2019 World Cup.
2. Shikhar Dhawan ruled out with thumb fracture
Shikhar Dhawan is one of the best top-order batsmen India has ever had. The Rohit Sharma –Shikhar Dhawan duo had been in great form in the 2019 World Cup until India’s match against Australia. The left-hander scored a century in that match, but after the innings, the sad news came in from the Indian camp that he had a hairline thumb fracture which would not let him play. Initially, he sat out for two matches, and KL Rahul opened with Rohit Sharma instead. When it became clear that he would not play again in the tournament, the team decided to call in Rishabh Pant as Dhawan’s replacement. It definitely was hard to take that loss for the Indian camp.
3. Kuldeep Yadav’s magic ball dismissing Pakistan’s Babar Azam
India versus Pakistan is the most anticipated game in every tournament and is also a significant event for fans on both sides. The two teams faced off in the 2019 World Cup at Old Trafford in Manchester. When Pakistan was on a roll with the partnership between Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman crossing the hundred mark, Kuldeep Yadav announced his presence yet again.
The 24-year-old Indian spinner delivered one of the balls of the tournament. The ball beat the batsmen between the bat and the pad and hit the stumps before he could even understand what had happened. This wicket came as a relief for the Indian side, while everyone was surprised at what had happened. The dismissal was an overwhelming feeling for the team and the fans. This moment changed the game and India bested Pakistan by 85 runs at the end.
4. Bumrah’s double hit leads India to victory against Bangladesh
India vs Bangladesh was another nerve-racking match that we witnessed in World Cup 2019. The game could have gone either way with India needing two wickets and Bangladesh requiring 30 runs off the last 20 balls. While Bangladesh seemed comfortably placed to get those runs, the pressure was on the men in blue.
The ball was given to Jasprit Bumrah, and he did wonders. 2 wickets in the last two balls of his over and India claimed victory in this high-voltage fixture.
The Indian side was taken ashore yet again by one of the stars of the team, and they were able to heave a sigh of relief.
5. Shami’s hat trick against Afghanistan
India had a narrow escape against Afghanistan. The Men in Blue won by a margin of 11 runs and what a match it was. With the ball in Mohammed Shammi’s hand, everyone had their eyes glued to the action. The game was in a critical state, and nobody could have expected that the match would end this way. The bankable bowlers of the Indian side proved it yet again, and Mohammed Shami led from the front in this specific match.
He pulled off a stunner with the final over hat trick, winning the match for his team and taking them a step closer to the semi-finals.