Fans of the Indian cricket team had to go back home heartbroken after the team faced their second consecutive defeat in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday. It sure wasn’t easy for our players to take defeat from New Zealand by eight wickets and the disappointment of the current Indian skipper Virat Kohli was seen during the post-match presentation ceremony.
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Sharing his two cents about the match, Virat told the host broadcaster that they weren’t brave enough with bat or ball. “Quite bizarre. To be very honest and brutal upfront, I don’t think we were brave enough with bat or ball,” reported Hindustan Times.
However, his scrutiny didn’t go down well with former Indian cricketer Kapil Dev. According to him, for a big player like Virat, it is a very weak statement.
“If that is the kind of body language the team has and if that is kind of thought process the captain has, it is really tough to lift the team. I felt a little strange hearing those words. He isn’t that kind of a player.”
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Kapil also further added that Virat is a fighter. “I think he got lost in the moment or something.”
“A captain should not say words like ‘we were not brave enough’. You are playing for your country and he has the passion. But when you say such words, fingers will definitely be pointed.”
The ‘men in blue’ were faced with a lot of criticism and hatred after their second consecutive loss. By losing the last two matches, India’s ranking in the tournament has gone down to the fifth position and also nudged the hopes of several Indians of watching them play in the semi-finals.
Talking on these lines, Kapil said, “I don’t have words. How much can we even criticize? A team that claims to have played the IPL and gained practice, when it plays like this, there will be criticism.”
“When you win, no amount of praise is enough, but right now, no amount of criticism is enough because they did not play the kind of cricket expected of them. You fight and lose, we understand. But today there was not a single performance which we can be happy about.”
Having said that, a lot of people online also came in support of team India. And one among them was former England batter Kevin Pietersen who tweeted in Hindi ‘khel ke log robot nhin’ to support the Indian cricket team.
खेल में एक विजेता और एक हारने वाला होता है। कोई भी खिलाड़ी हारने के लिए बाहर नहीं जाता है। अपने देश का प्रतिनिधित्व करना सबसे बड़ा सम्मान है। कृपया महसूस करें कि खेल के लोग रोबोट नहीं हैं और उन्हें हर समय समर्थन की आवश्यकता है।
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) November 1, 2021
As an Indian cricket fan, you have every right to be hurt. Dil toota Na?
Now multiply that hurt by 100 and that’s how the members of the Indian team feel when they lose…
They don’t need our/your sympathy but a little bit of empathy won’t be a bad thing.— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 1, 2021
Let’s not be harsh on our players.yes we know them for better cricket.Sabse jyada players ko hurt hota hai after such results.but well done to @BLACKCAPS NZ for winning th match.they were fantastic in all departments @BCCI @T20WorldCup @ICC @StarSportsIndia
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 31, 2021
Well #ViratKohli has been a fantastic player for #India . Trolling or attacking him is incorrect. And no matter what, we will always support Team #India and we bleed Blue 💙.#INDvsNZ #NZvsIND
— Tehseen Poonawalla Official 🇮🇳 (@tehseenp) October 31, 2021
𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁!✌
Stay strong Indian Cricket Team 🙃✊We're always with you! 🇮🇳❤
And 𝙒𝙚'𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧! 🇮🇳💙✨ pic.twitter.com/mMWP7mYwp9— BeingAnand2000 (@BAnand2000) November 2, 2021
You are still our team @BCCI @imVkohli @ImRo45
You are still our heroes!
You still deserve all the celebrations in life!Because you are team I N D I A 🇮🇳
This is just one bad chapter of the story. And this doesn’t conclude here 🙂
Chin up! Always. #RohitSharma #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/iK3gx35vPE
— SOAR (@thesourabhguy) November 1, 2021
Always support Virat Kohli ❤️❤️❤️
He is a Champion player. He deserved this trophy 🏆 as a captain. Tournament still open!!#ViratKohli#AskStar #KeepGoalHigh pic.twitter.com/BRcj7iK3eU— AbuHuraira Butt (@AbuHura47208172) November 1, 2021
In India, cricket is more than just a sport. Hence, people attach a lot of expectations and emotions from the team and its players. However, threats, mockery, and sympathy are the last things the players need ATM. Go team India!