Sunday night was heartbreaking for Indian cricket fans. Our team — having dominated throughout — really had us believe we were lifting that World Cup trophy after twelve years. And why not? We deserved it. We were invincible. Irrespective of the ultimate outcome, we will always look back at the tournament for the journey, the brand of cricket our team played, and definitely not the last match.
But all said and done, we have to acknowledge Australians did outplay us in the final match. They were fielding as if they had never fielded before. And yes, the pitch was relatively easy in the evening, but that cannot be the sole explanation for why Travis Head single-handedly managed to stay till the end despite the pressure of losing three wickets early on.
Perhaps it was just not our day. And as much as it breaks our hearts, we gotta live with that. While our cricketers displayed a true sportsmen’s spirit, gracefully accepting the loss, it’s not what their fans did in the aftermath.
You see, whatever broiled over social media after Australia lifted the World Cup trophy was embarrassing and very problematic. Here’s everything that shouldn’t have happened:
1. Glenn Maxwell’s wife, Vini Raman, having to justify which team she supports and why
Vini Raman is an Indian-origin pharmacist. She travelled with her husband, Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, and their child in Australia’s World Cup campaign. Right after India lost, many trolls took to social media questioning Raman of her ‘Indian-ness’ whilst criticising her.
2. Indian fans taking offence at Mitchell Marsh’s picture chilling with HIS World Cup trophy that HE won with HIS team for HIS country
3. Also, many proving they are sour losers on the comment sections of Aussie cricketers
4. BTW, some also took to hurling New Zealand’s Jimmy Neesham with abuses thinking he played for Australia & he reacted
5. Speaking of sour losers, a man named Adam Zampa got abused because some Indians fans wanted to attack the bowler to put up with their own frustration
6. Also, many desi incels took to directing their outrage towards Aussie cricketers’ wives and kids because their suffocating minds find a way to hate on women for just about anything
This is the most disgusting thing that could’ve happened, and it did.
Being sad about India’s loss is one thing. But attacking women and children who had no connection to anything that unravelled on the field is a testament to how far we need to go as a society. The intolerance in our country is unsettling.