Ravi Shastri is the master of calling iconic cricket moments. Heck, he was on commentary when Yuvraj Singh hit six sixes, and when India won the last three World Cups. “Dhoni finishes off in style,” and “India win the World Cup after 28 years” will always reverberate in the ears of the most ardent Indian cricket fans. Hence, on Sunday night, when India were just one wicket away from victory, and Shastri was on air, it was believed that he would once again deliver an immortal line that would live in the hearts of fans for years to come.
However, when Abhishek Sharma picked up New Zealand’s last wicket – Jacob Duffy out caught in the deep by Tilak Varma – to seal India’s victory, Shastri flattered to deceive. It was almost as if the former India head coach had lost track of what had happened. A moment that should have been celebrated wildly, and promises a bang, ended up in a whimper as Shastri mistook the last wicket to be the penultimate.
“Taken in the deep. The ninth wicket goes down,” said Shastri, before realising his mistake. “And it’s all done, actually. It’s India who win the World Cup for the third time. The first team to win back-to-back World Cups and the first hosts to win the T20 World Cup on their home turf. It’s a fantastic performance for India.”
Ravi Shastri tried but…
Shastri tried his best to recover from the fumble, but it was too late as the audience on X quickly jumped on him for ‘ruining’ India’s T20 World Cup-winning moment. Here are some of the reactions.
Shastri returned to broadcasting duties after serving seven years as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, and while he has mostly been on the money, occasional lapses are part and parcel of the game. However, given what was at stake, with India becoming the first team to win three T20 World Cup titles and the first to do it in back-to-back editions, that too at home, Shastri’s moment of carelessness left a sour taste in many people’s mouths.
Moments later, Shastri congratulated the Indian team for beating New Zealand by 96 runs and defending the crown; however, there was no mention of the moment. “Many congratulations to Team India! Suryakumar Yadav, Gautam Gambhir and the entire team management, that was a clinical, professional performance of the highest order. Calm under pressure, ruthless when it mattered. Back-to-back T20 World Cup champions; and thoroughly deserved! Take a bow.”
India thump New Zealand
The platform for India’s dominant win was set up by their batters, primarily the in-form Sanju Samson and Abhishek, who returned to form on the biggest stage of them all. Samson notched up a hat-trick of fifties and top-scored with 89, while Abhishek rediscovered his mojo with a breathtaking 52 off just 21 balls. Ishan Kishan joined the party as well, smashing 54 off 24 deliveries, before Shivam Dube took 24 runs off the final over to power India to 255/5, the highest total ever in a T20 World Cup final.
India’s second straight 250-plus total proved a mountain too tall for the Black Caps, who crashed and burned in the chase and were eventually dismissed for 159, with Jasprit Bumrah returning figures of 4/15 and Axar Patel picking up 3/27.
