India’s Rollercoaster Ride in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup
NEW DELHI: India’s journey in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup was a mix of dominance and heartbreak. With Virat Kohli at the helm, the Indian team showed exceptional form in the group stages, securing seven victories out of nine matches, with one game against New Zealand being abandoned due to rain. This strong performance earned them the top spot in the group stage.
However, things took a dramatic turn in the semi-final against New Zealand. Despite chasing a modest target of 240, India’s top order collapsed, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul departing early.
In a valiant effort, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni put together a gritty partnership, but it wasn’t enough. India fell short by 18 runs, bringing their World Cup campaign to an end.
The semi-final loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Indian fans, considering the team’s strong performance throughout the tournament. Rohit Sharma, the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 648 runs at an average of 81.00, expressed his opinion that Dhoni should have batted at number four.
In a viral video from 2019, Rohit stated: “I personally always feel that him batting at number 4 is ideal for the team. It totally depends on how the captain (Virat) and the coach think about it. Personally, I would be happy if he (Dhoni) bats at number four.”
In the crucial semi-final, Dhoni batted at number seven, scoring 50 runs off 72 balls before being run out by Martin Guptill. India, who last won the ODI World Cup in 2011, clinched the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 title under Rohit’s captaincy.
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