Can 90's Kids Finally Heal from Dark Memories of 2003? India Vs Australia World Cup Final Gives Hope

If you are a 90’s kid and a cricket fan from India, one could easily assume the cruel memories of World Cup 2003 final where Australia thrashed Sourav Ganguly’s Men in Blue in Johannesburg live in your head rent-free. An era of ruthless Aussies, a team that comprised of Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Andrew Symonds, Damien Martyn, Michael Bevan, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath.

23 March 2003

Ricky Ponting, the man leading the pack, goes big. Punter slams an unbeaten 140 against an Indian attack that has been instrumental in India’s journey to this finale. Eight bowlers are used. Our reliable pacers go wicketless. Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra look ordinary this evening. Our frontline spinner Harbhajan Singh, however, remains an exception with two wickets in his pocket. The only two wickets that India eventually manage to uproot. Australia have posted 359/2 in a blink of an eye. India have a daunting task ahead but we also have Sachin Tendulkar, the leading run-scorer of the 2003 edition, standing tall for the nation. Everything’s good.

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Tendulkar opens his account with a boundary. Thousands of Indian attendees at the Wanderers Stadium erupt in joy. We have got this. They, along with the millions who have tuned in, strongly believe. The chants and prayers are almost in-sync, the atmosphere electric. Then disaster strikes India. The very next delivery Tendulkar is gone. McGrath takes an easy return catch off his bowling. There is deathly silence, for many it’s game over now.

Indian skipper Ganguly looks in good touch but Lee gets the better of him in the 10th over. Mohammad Kaif follows suit without scoring a run.

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Desi fans look up at the skies, with folded hands, pleading to the rain gods to wash away this game. Their prayers are partially answered but the match is once again underway after only a brief interruption, much to the dismay of fans.

Yet, all hope is not lost. Virender Sehwag is playing his natural game, attacking Aussie bowlers without a worry in the world. He has smashed 82 in 81, a knock consisting of 3 maximums and 10 boundaries. India have managed to pull themselves out of misery, from 59/3 to 147/3 in less than 24 overs. A moment of excellence on the field by Darren Lehmann sees Sehwag short of his crease on the non-striker’s end.

Sehwag’s gone. The horror that India will not be lifting their second World Cup trophy has been realised. India bundle out for 234 with a painful margin of 125 runs.

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The invincible Australia bag their third World Cup trophy, Ganguly’s decision to bowl first makes all the headlines the following day.

From kids to adults, the heartbreak is felt across all age groups.

Come 2023, India face Australia in a World Cup final after a wait of 20 years this Sunday. These kids are all grown up now and they are hoping in all optimism to reset the grim sporting memory they have carried from their childhoods.

“Time to Heal”

“Since 2003, I have been yearning for an India vs Australia ODI World Cup final where we, hopefully, manage to heal from those childhood wounds,” a cricket fan wrote on ‘X’.

“Pre-written Script”

India and Australia will meet in Ahmedabad on November 19 at the Narendra Modi Stadium where Rohit Sharma’s Men will eye country’s third World Cup win.