More than Just Cricket
A game that will be remembered forever
A.M Bailey
There are multiple sporting events held throughout the course of history: F1, Basketball, the Olympics, just to name a few. However, one of the main events of Australian culture is the cricket world cup. Not the type of matches where you sit down on the sofa for the whole day watching Nathan Lyon bowl his 30 over spells against the Poms. But the type of tournament that brings people from all cultures all around the world to watch the fast paced and exciting type of cricket known as T20.
The 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is the eighth ICC Men’s T20 World Cup tournament. It is being played in Australia from 16 October to 13 November 2022. Originally, the tournament was to be held in 2020, however, in July 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the tournament had been postponed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2020, the ICC also confirmed that Australia, the defending T20 champs, would host the rearranged tournament in 2022.
On Sunday the 23rd of October the cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan was, and still is, arguably one of the fiercest in global sport. Cricketing culture in Australia remains in the forefront of everyone’s minds as we enter the summer season. For India and Pakistan this obsession never stops. Cricket represents something greater, a transcending passion to something more akin to religion. With the T20 world cup being held on Australian shores for the first time, over 90,000 people ranging from all over the world descended upon the MCG. According to a tweet “If it wasn’t the largest gathering of South Asians in history outside of South Asia it would have been mighty close.”
Many will argue this was the greatest ever T20 game. On cricketing quality alone, perhaps others sit above this match. But considering the crowd, the atmosphere, the drama and the overall narrative, there’s a very strong argument that this was one of the most iconic cricket matches of the 21st century. It was career-defining for Virat Kohli. Perhaps it also defined a generation of fans as well.
No matter whether a 6 was hit or the very next ball the batsman got bowled, Indian and Pakistani supporters cheered their heart out for their teams the whole way through the match. Yet after the final ball was struck, both groups shook hands with the other team and then with each other. It was a display of camaraderie symbolic of the occasion. This was more than a cricket match. Because that’s the beauty of sport, no matter what country you are from you feel pride in supporting your team because a win for your team also reflects as a win for yourself.
In anticipation for what could happen next, Rohit Sharma could not have summed up India’s night any better. “I have no voice left, No matter what situation, you’ve got to believe you can pull through, and that partnership changed the game for us.
We knew it would not be an easy target on that pitch. We knew we would have to bat out of our skins. Virat and Hardik are experienced guys. Staying calm and taking it as deep as possible was critical, and they did that.
The way we won is more pleasing for us, the way we came back. Hats off to Virat. It has to be not one of his best, but the best innings he has played for India.”
The real challenge to remain is guessing who is going to take away Australia’s trophy, or will Australia retain the trophy for another 2 years.
