What do you remember the most as a sports fan? The highest of highs top the list. The day your team won a World Cup, the week when your favourite athlete triumphed at the Olympics, the moment your childhood hero scaled a peak that was previously thought unachievable. Those always stay with you.
But so do moments of heartbreak. Devastating defeats that stab harder or fester like an open wound. Snatches of losses that surface in the mind quite unannounced forcing you to gulp the sorrow down in a crowd. That inevitable drubbing by the arch rival that haunts recesses of memory needing an elaborate overwrite.
The day your team fell agonisingly short of a major achievement, those seconds when your favourite athlete walked past a trophy with longing eyes, the moment your childhood hero announced a retirement that you didn’t see coming.
For many growing up in the 90s following the Indian cricket team, March 23, 2003 would most definitely hurt like a raw scab. It is a day that started with hope, however misplaced it might have been, but ended in a wave of disappointment. Tears were shed. For many in their teens, it might well have been the first true heartbreak. Defeat would have been palatable but the manner of it was hard to digest.
For this writer, who tuned into watch the final after a month of juggling between board examination tension and enjoying moments of India’s run to the final sneakily, that night was traumatic. It was a defeat that opened the floodgates like never before.
Fast forward 20 years and here we are again. It’s India vs Australia once more in the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The dread of 2003
The moment Australia completed their win against South Africa at Eden Gardens, recollections about that day in 2003 were unavoidable.
About the dread we felt when Zaheer Khan bowled that bizarre first over after Sourav Ganguly opted to field. About the intimidation that followed when Ricky Ponting went berserk (and the spring theories about his bat that would soon follow). About the leg before decision that wasn’t given when Dinesh Mongia seemed to have got a breakthrough against Ponting (Ever wonder what DRS would have to say about that?).
About the sudden rush of adrenaline we felt when Sachin Tendulkar hit a four off Glenn McGrath in the first over. Dare we hope? Dare we dream?
About the collective sinking of hearts around the country when he mishit one and McGrath dismissed him immediately after. About the glimmer of hope Virender Sehwag’s knock and the possibility of rain provided.
And, ultimately, about the moment Darren Lehmann caught Zaheer Khan and the thrashing was complete at the hands of that era’s most dominant cricket team.
Damn, those Aussies were annoyingly good weren’t they?
The hope of 2023
Now, here we are in 2023. Ahead of Rohit Sharma and Co’s date with destiny, the dread of that Johannesburg heartbreak perhaps still remains for many. 2011 World Cup was grand, but a crack at Australia in the finals is the real redemption arc for a nation that came to dread yellow. And, in only the second title clash between these two multiple champions of the tournament, the tables might just have turned.
Back in 2003, India stumbled at the start of the tournament, losing their second match against Australia after batting first and posting a low score. Now, Australia started off their campaign with two defeats, one of them while posting a low score while batting first against India.
Back in 2003, Australia were the undoubtable team to beat and it was no surprise to see them in the final. Now, the five-time champions have had to overcome a fair few hurdles and could have easily lost their way earlier if not for a few heists.