Virat Kohli Opens Up On The Heart-Breaking Loss In ICC World Cup 2019 Semifinal
Published - 03 Dec 2019, 02:56 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:02 AM
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Ahead of the ICC World Cup 2019, the Indian National Cricket Team was rated as one of the hot favourites to win the trophy. However, it wasn’t the case, as they failed to achieve a small target against New Zealand in the semifinal clash. Almost six months into the defeat, skipper Virat Kohli opens up on the heartbreaking loss in the ICC Event when a billion of people wanting them to perform well.
It was Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have been the chief run-scorers for India during the league phase. Unfortunately, they couldn’t deliver the same in the must-win encounter. In a 240-run chase, India had almost lost sight of the pursuit when they lost vice-captain Rohit Sharma (1) and captain Virat Kohli (1) cheaply. With New Zealand bowlers continuing to make inroads into the Indian lineup on a double-paced wicket, India were reduced to 92/6 in the 31st over.
It was a 116-run partnership for the seventh wicket between wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja which saw India staging one of the most dramatic comebacks in the history of World Cups. However, it wasn’t enough as New Zealand dismissed both the cricketers at just the right time to take the game away from the jaws of defeat.
I know my team would need me – Virat Kohli
Speaking of the loss, Virat Kohli quoted that he also gets affected by the defeat like everyone does and also expressed his feeling when he was walking to the middle in tough circumstances against New Zealand. Kohli wanted to finish things off on his own hand and take India to the final; unfortunately, he failed to deliver and got out cheaply leaving his side in deep troubles.
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“Do I get affected by failures. Yes, I do. Everyone does. I know my team would need me. I had the feeling so strong in my heart that I am going to come not out and make India go through that tough phase [in the semi-final]. But then again, maybe that was my ego talking because how can you predict something like that? You can only have a strong feeling, or maybe it was a strong desire to do something like that,” Kohli told India Today when asked what was going through his mind during the tense semi-final against New Zealand.
We want to leave behind a legacy –
Coming to the present, Virat Kohli expressed that his team wants to leave legacy whenever they step into the field. Many will credit Kohli to bring a change in the mindset of the current crop of players emphasising more on the fitness. Kohli wants his side to leave behind a legacy where the next generation of cricketers will aspire to become like them.
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“I hate losing. I don’t want to walk out and say I could have done this. When I step out on the field, it’s a privilege. When I walk out, I want to have zero energy. We want to leave behind a legacy that future cricketers will say we want to play like that,” Kohli said.
Well, it was a tough pill to swallow for the Indian National Cricket Team. Despite the loss in World Cup, the Indian team had grown from strength to strength to become one of the top teams in the game of cricket across the formats.
