Rohit Sharma reveals India’s urge to avenge their 2023 ODI World Cup final loss to Australia. The Super 8 win in the T20 World Cup 2024, powered by Rohit Sharma’s blistering 92, felt like sweet redemption for the heartbreak in Ahmedabad.
With Team Indiaset to complete one year of clinching their second T20 World Cup last year, winning captain Rohit Sharma has revealed the Men in Blue’s desire to seek revenge for the ODI World Cup Final defeat to Australia in the marquee T20 event.
On June 29, 2024, Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, ended a 17-year drought of clinching the T20 World Cup title, defeating unbeaten South Africa in the final at Kensington Oval in Barbados. Virat Kohli (76), Axar Patel (47), and Axar Patel (27) significantly contributed with the bat to help India post a total of 176/7 in 20 overs.
Arshdeep Singh (2/20), Jasprit Bumrah (3/18), and Hardik Pandya (3/20) led a spirited bowling performance to restrict South Africa to 169/8, sealing a thrilling 7-run win to hand Team India their first ever ICC trophy in 12 years. The Men in Blue’s last ICC triumph was the Champions Trophy in 2013, defeating England in the final at Lord’s.
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Revenge for the ODI World Cup final defeat
Team India might have won the T20 World Cup, but the heartbreak of losing to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup lingered in the minds of the players. India reached the ODI World Cup Final at home with a 10-match unbeaten run, including a victory against New Zealand in the semifinal, and were the strong favourite to win the prestigious title.
India’s hopes of clinching the ODI World Cup title after 12 years were completely shattered after losing to sixth-time champions Australia in the title clash in Ahmedabad. Travis Head’s stunning century (137 off 120) broke Indian hearts and dashed their dreams of a perfect campaign.
After the ODI World Cup Final, Team India and Australia squared off in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup. The match was more than just a group fixture, as it carried an emotional weight of redemption. The fans wanted the Men in Blue to pay back Australia for the Australia for heartbreak in Ahmedabad, and the players were equally fired up to settle the score at the global stage.
Rohit Sharma and his boys successfully avenged their defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup by putting the 2021 T20 World Cup champions on the brink of Super 8 exit. Rohit unleashed his firepower and played a brilliant knock of 92 off 41 balls, along with valuable contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (31), Shivam Dube (28), and Hardik Pandya (27), helping India post a commanding total of 205/5.
The Indian bowlers then backed it up with a disciplined performance, restricting Australia to 181/7 despite Travis Head’s 76-run knock, and sealing a memorable 24-run victory that served as justice for the heartbreak in Ahmedabad.
‘Should give them a nice gift too’
Speaking about India avenging the ODI World Cup final heartbreak in the T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma revealed that everyone was angry as Australia ruined the mood of the team as well as the entire country on November 19. He further added that the team desired to eliminate Australia from the tournament.
“Everyone carries some anger inside. That feeling stays at the back of your mind. They ruined our November 19 — not just ours, but the whole country’s. We should keep something in store for them. We should give them a nice gift too,” Rohit said on Star Sports.
“These things stay in your head, but when you play the game. When I bat, I don’t think about knocking them out of the tournament. It doesn't work like that. In the dressing room, though, these things are talked about — there’s banter and fun. We joke around, saying, ‘It’ll be fun to knock them out, ' he added.
The next major tournament India and Australia faced off in was the Champions Trophy, where the Men in Blue defeated the defending World Champions in the semifinal, knocking them out of the tournament.
Meanwhile, after India’s T20 World Cup triumph, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja called it quits from T20Is, passing on the baton to the younger generation of players.
