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India’s Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma look dejected after losing the ICC Cricket World Cup final. Image Credit: Reuters

Dubai: For Team India, it was again another missed opportunity to win a major trophy. Since 2011 the Men in Blue have not won an ICC trophy, but with a 10-match unbeaten run and the favourable home conditions made the Rohit Sharma’s team as the top favourite to win the World Cup 2023. However, they fell at the final hurdle against an Australian team that didn’t put a foot wrong despite a bad start.

“The result hasn’t gone our way and we know that we were not good enough on the day, but I am proud of the team. Another 20-30 runs would’ve been good. I thought when Rahul and Virat were batting, we were looking at 270-280 at that point but we kept losing wickets,” Rohit told the official broadcasters during the post-match presentation ceremony.

“Australia stitched a big partnership after losing three wickets. With 240 on the board, we wanted early wickets but credit to Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. They put us completely out of the game and I thought the wicket got better to bat under lights, but don’t want to give that as an excuse. We didn’t bat well enough, but credit to those two guys in the middle for stitching that big partnership.”

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India's Virat Kohli poses with the runners-up medal after losing the World Cup final. Image Credit: Reuters

Difficult situation

Team India were in a difficult situation from the start. After a blistering start given by Rohit, the hosts lost three wickets early which forced Virat Kohli and Rahul play with caution on a double-paced wicket. The Australians didn’t give anything away for India and the superior fielding standards, stopping many boundaries. The Indian team didn’t have a single boundary for over a 15-over period, that didn’t allow the Indian team the required momentum to break the shackles of the Australians.

Kohli, with a total of 765 runs from 11 matches that included three centuries and six half-centuries, was adjudged the Player of the Tournament. However, the talisman would have preferred to hold the second World Cup trophy. But his wait continues.