After Australia secured victory in the ICC World Cup 2023 final, Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, teammates from Royal Challengers Bangalore, shared a heartfelt moment. In a display of sportsmanship, Kohli presented his jersey to the dynamic all-rounder Maxwell, marking a gesture of mutual respect following the intense match.
Following Australia’s triumph at the Narendra Modi Stadium, emotions soared as the men in canary yellow reveled in their victory. On the other hand, the Indian players were left with their hearts shattered, and a hint of tears in their eyes.
Kohli’s heartfelt gesture for Maxwell
As the players from both teams exchanged handshakes, it was then that this poignant moment unfolded between Kohli and Maxwell. The Indian batter presented his jersey to his IPL teammate, symbolizing camaraderie amidst the competitive atmosphere.
Despite India’s efforts, Kohli’s crucial knock of 54 contributed to their total of 240. Unfortunately for Kohli, his dismissal by skipper Pat Cummins proved fatal as an inside edge redirected the ball straight to the stumps.
On a challenging batting surface, noteworthy performances came from skipper Rohit Sharma (47 in 31 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes), Virat Kohli (54 in 63 balls, with four boundaries), and KL Rahul (66 in 107 balls, with one four).
Australia’s bowling strength was evident, with Mitchell Starc leading the pack. Skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also delivered commendable performances, while Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell claimed a wicket each.
In the chase of 241, India had the Australians struggling at 47/3. However, outstanding knocks from Travis Head (137 in 120 balls, with 15 fours and four sixes) and Marnus Labuschagne (58 in 110 balls, with four boundaries) guided Australia to a convincing six-wicket win.
Looking ahead, the World Cup finalists are set to engage in a five-match T20I series commencing on Thursday in Visakhapatnam.
(With ANI Inputs)