In the end, life is nothing more than a handful of stories we wish to share. Many cricket fans in India and other parts of the world have enjoyed a story unlike few in the last six weeks. It was an audacious and lovely cricket team tale. It unfurled like a dream and was full of charm. Even though India's dream was shattered in the finals, history was made.
India may not have been able to win the Cup, but Rohit & Co's dominance in the ICC Team of the Tournament was largely due to their unbeaten run before the final, which saw numerous players come up to do the job. India achieved a historic feat by winning 10 consecutive matches—comprising the semi-final and nine league games—under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, a milestone never before accomplished in the history of ODI series.
However, the pivotal match was claimed by Australia, showcasing their superior performance in the final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. With this victory, they secured their record-extending sixth ODI World Cup trophy, marking yet another remarkable achievement in the history of One-Day Internationals.
The 2023 ODI World Cup has etched its place as one of the most monumental International Cricket Council (ICC) events in the sport's extensive history. A staggering record of 1.25 million fans graced the stadiums to witness the matches live. The ICC reported an astounding total attendance of 1,250,307 spectators throughout the 45-day extravaganza, surpassing the previous benchmark of 1.016 million set during the 2015 edition held in Australia and New Zealand.
Virat Kohli won the 'Player of the Tournament' award for his 765 runs in 11 matches, while Mohammed Shami was the highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets in 7 matches. Virat and Shami are among the six Indian players in ICC's Team of the Tournament, with Rohit (captain), KL Rahul (wicketkeeper-batter), Jasprit Bumrah and the other four.
Following India’s unfortunate loss, Prime Minister Narendra Modi boosted morale in the Indian cricket camp by visiting the dressing room and offering words of consolation to players, including captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli.
Kohli breaks Tendulkar’s ODI record, much to the latter’s pleasure
The batsman with the most ODI hundreds, Virat Kohli, blasted past Sachin Tendulkar. In the semifinal of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, Kohli achieved his record-breaking 50th ODI century against New Zealand. In the Eden Gardens match against South Africa, Kohli reached his 49th ODI century and tied Tendulkar. With over 700 runs, including three hundreds and five fifties, Virat Kohli has been at the peak of his game at the 2023 World Cup.
In the meantime, Virat Kohli was expected to smash Sachin Tendulkar's mark at the 2023 World Cup. Following Kohli's 49th ODI century, which tied Tendulkar for the lead, Sachin went to X to congratulate Virat on the historic achievement and to predict that he will top the rankings for most ODI hundreds in the 2023 World Cup.
"Well played Virat. It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days. Congratulations," wrote Tendulkar.
English football legend attends World Cup semi-final
David Beckham, a former footballer for Manchester United and Real Madrid, was present at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai for India vs. New Zealand Cricket World Cup 2023 semifinal match. The UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador was in India for three days.
Before going to the Wankhede stadium, he first met Sachin Tendulkar, a former Indian batter and UNICEF Regional Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia, in Mumbai. The two legends then walked onto the field ahead of the match and met a few players from both New Zealand and the Indian cricket team, and posed for photos with the ODI ICC World Cup trophy.
Before the big game, Beckham was seen interacting with many members of the Indian team, and his picture with Virat Kohli went viral. In fact, shortly after the Indian cricket star made history by hitting his 50th ODI century, Beckham was seen embracing Virat Kohli.
However, it is Beckham's conversation with Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the game that has taken social media by storm. Kuldeep was visibly in awe of meeting Beckham and had a fanboy moment. He told the football star that, “After cricket, football is everything for me.” He also expressed admiration for Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.
The event was graced by a multitude of celebrities, adding glamour to the occasion. David Beckham was spotted seated alongside Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra, while Ranbir Kapoor was seen in the company of John Abraham. Shahid Kapoor and Kunal Khemu appeared to be in high spirits throughout the match. Notably, veteran actor Rajnikanth was also present, adding to the star-studded gathering.
Bollywood turned up in support of the Indian team
Ahmedabad witnessed the arrival of numerous celebrities who came to rally behind Team India at the World Cup Finale in 2023. Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, adorned in Indian jerseys, graced the event alongside their family members.
Shah Rukh Khan was spotted in the stadium with his 'KHANdan', while Ayushmann Khurrana joined the stands seated with AbRam, Suhana, Aryan, and Shanaya Kapoor. Adding to the star-studded affair, South superstar Daggubati Venkatesh also made an appearance in Ahmedabad to witness the thrilling match.
Asha Bhosle, accompanied by her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle, graced the memorable World Cup 2023 final match. Seated beside Shah Rukh Khan, the veteran singer enjoyed the game. A heartwarming moment unfolded when noticing that Asha Bhosle had finished her tea, Khan graciously took her cup and personally handed it to a staff member. This act of humility and reverence towards the legendary singer left everyone in the vicinity deeply impressed.
India’s Diwali celebration ahead of the crucial qualifier and final
During the ICC World Cup 2023, the Indian cricket team joyously celebrated Diwali, a moment captured and shared in a video by The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Dressed elegantly in traditional Indian attire, the team, along with their partners, gathered for the festivities.
The video showcased Rohit Sharma arriving at the event accompanied by his wife, Ritika, while Virat Kohli was seen attending alongside Anushka Sharma. The celebration was vibrant with other players such as Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Shami, joyfully engaging in the festivities, capturing moments together in photographs.
Notably, the team's coach, Rahul Dravid, was also part of the celebration, seen actively interacting and relishing the occasion alongside others in the shared video.
BCCI's revenue from the ICC World Cup shared
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reaps significant benefits from the International Cricket Council's (ICC) annual net earnings of US $600 million, translating to approximately ₹49,918.4 crores. This accounts for an impressive 38.5% share. Over a four-year period, this translates to an annual average of ₹12,479.6 crores. Moreover, the ICC World Cup has contributed substantially to the Indian economy, generating a significant boost across various sectors.
World Cup excitement for the Indian diaspora across the world
A significant number of individuals from the global diaspora made the journey to Ahmedabad to witness the World Cup 2023 match. The event drew people from various parts of the world who were eager to support and cheer for Team India. Despite the disappointment and heartbreak that ensued from the match's outcome, the spectators were filled with immense pride for Team India due to their commendable and consistent performance throughout the tournament.
The collective pride stemmed from the team's efforts and achievements leading up to the World Cup, showcasing skill, determination, and sportsmanship. The diaspora's presence at the event underscored the strong and enduring connection that individuals from different corners of the world feel toward their homeland, particularly when it comes to celebrating and supporting their national sports teams.
Manish Tiwari , Founder HereandNow365 Ltd, travelled from the UK to attend and spoke to Asian Voice about the same. He said, “The tournament obviously brought all Indian team lovers together but not just from India. I was there for finals and prior to that for some games and wherever I went, I saw the Indian diaspora from all corners of the world, from Britain, from America and everywhere else in Asia and Africa."
“Last night I shared a meal after the heartbreaking Indian defeat with an elderly retired couple from Manchester whose son had arranged a surprise ticket and had actually turned with the tickets. This was special as if Cricket had united the diaspora and brought them back to India. Undoubtedly a very special World Cup for that reason alone. India obviously is now a Mecca for Indian fans to visit their favourite team and its iconic stars."