The ACC Asia Cup 2023 is one for the cricket history books. It was a bit of a mess, organized, rather ‘mismanaged’ jointly by the Asian Cricket Council, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. But here’s the surprise: Bharat, the underdog, crushed the powerful Sri Lankan team with a shocking 10-wicket win in just 37 balls.
Imagine, Bharat wasn’t the favorite. Sri Lanka was expected to win easily. But cricket can be unpredictable. Bharat got everything right and secured a remarkable victory. Now, here’s the kicker: Bharat’s victory isn’t just a win; it’s like paying back a 23-year-old cricket debt with interest. It’s a story that’s going to make cricket fans smile.
So, get ready to dive into the thrilling journey of how Bharat turned the tables in the ACC Asia Cup 2023. It’s a tale of the unexpected and a debt paid in full with interest.
When Bharat was steamrolled in the ‘Sharjah sandstorm’!
Picture this: It was a sunny day in Sharjah, way back on October 29, 2000. The Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium was buzzing with excitement for the final match of the Coca Cola Champions Trophy, a triangular series, between Sri Lanka and Bharat (that’s India).
Now, here’s the setup: Sourav Ganguly had just taken the reins of the Bharatiya cricket team as the captain, and it had only been three months. The tournament hadn’t been a walk in the park, but what happened on that fateful day is etched in the minds of cricket fans for all the wrong reasons.
Sanath Jayasuriya led the Sri Lankan team, and boy, did they give our bowlers a hard time. They piled up a massive score of 299, with Sanath himself smashing a jaw-dropping 189 runs.
But here’s where things went south for Bharat. Sourav Ganguly got out with just 3 runs on the board, followed by Sachin Tendulkar, and then a young Yuvraj Singh, who was just starting his cricket journey. India’s scorecard read 3 down for 15 runs.
Also read: Asia Cup Finals: Rohit Sharma and Co. avenge 2000 in their own unique way
What came next was nothing short of chaos. Wickets started falling like a house of cards in a storm. If it weren’t for Robin Singh’s 11 runs and, to some extent, Hemang Badani’s 9, India might have folded for a paltry 34, which would’ve been the lowest total in one-day cricket history.
Nevertheless, going all out for just 54 runs was not the grand start Sourav Ganguly had envisioned for his captaincy. It was a day Bharat and its cricket fans would rather forget. But in the world of sports, you win some, you lose some, and sometimes, you stumble in a spectacular way. None would have anticipated the revenge that would come 23 years later!
The 23-year-old “dues” repaid with interest!
Fast forward 23 years, and it felt like déjà vu. Bharat found itself in the Asia Cup finals, but the odds were stacked against them, just like in 2000. Their journey had been a rollercoaster of highs and lows, leaving most folks skeptical about their chances.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, was the crowd favorite. They had a history of strong performances and a knack for bouncing back from the brink of defeat. It seemed like they had all the right cards in their hands.
But, sometimes, the underdogs get tired of hearing utter nonsense. In other words, ‘winning is the best when others are dying to see you lose’. Rohit Sharma and his team, representing Team India, or Bharat as we fondly call them, decided it was time to prove the naysayers wrong.
The weather wasn’t entirely cooperative, with overcast conditions and a pitch that didn’t favor seam bowlers. Many experts predicted that the Sri Lankan spinners, who had previously troubled the Indian batsmen, would have a field day. But they forgot one crucial element: sheer courage.
Enter Mohammad Siraj, the right-arm fast bowler from Hyderabad. He had faced his fair share of criticism, from underperforming in crucial IPL matches to inconsistent bowling speeds. But on this day, he brushed aside all the negativity and spun a web around the Sri Lankan batting lineup.
Siraj’s magic saw him take an astonishing 6 wickets for just 21 runs. What’s more, he grabbed his first 5 wickets in just 6 overs, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at a measly 12 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. If it weren’t for Kusal Mendis and Dusan Hemantha, Sri Lanka might have suffered a fate even worse than Bharat’s debacle in 2000. Interestingly, Bharat bundled up Sri Lanka in just 15.2 overs, a full 11.1 overs faster than Sourav Ganguly’s team did in 2000.
Also read: Kisse Asian Games Ke: When Milkha Singh trounced “The Flying Bird of Asia”
But that was just half the story. The icing on the cake was the batting performance of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill. They chased down the target with remarkable ease, securing a 10-wicket victory in a mere 6.1 overs, which is just 37 balls in total!
So, what’s the moral of this story? It’s a timeless lesson in the world of cricket: the game is never truly over until the last ball is bowled. Bharat’s triumph in the Asia Cup finals of 2023 is a testament to the power of determination, courage, and the ability to rise above expectations, no matter how daunting the odds may seem. Not to forget, the dues our boys repaid with added interest. Also, dear Pakistan, aapne ghabrana nahin hai!
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