KL Rahul’s valiant innings for India in the World Cup 2023 game against Australia played an instrumental role in the team’s remarkable comeback win in Chennai on Sunday. With the Indian cricket team reeling at 2/3 within the first two overs of their 200-run chase, KL Rahul held his nerve and played a memorable knock to seal win for India.
KL Rahul stitched a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli, who also played a brilliant knock of 85 runs. KL Rahul smashed a stunning match-winning six to end the chase for India and ended his innings with the scores of unbeaten 97 runs off 115 balls, including 8 fours and 2 sixes.
In the 42nd over of the chase, KL Rahul found himself on 91 runs when India needed just five runs to win. The only way Rahul could’ve reached his seventh century in the format was with a four and a six. And KL wanted to do just that but that cover drive was hit too hard by him and it eventually went for a six. While the six helped India seal victory, but it also meant that Rahul fell just short of his hundred, ending his innings at 97 not out.
Brainless Fans Trolled India’s Match-Winner KL Rahul
Rahul was visibly upset after finding out what he had done and his reaction said everything. The Indian keeper-batter was evidently disappointed in not getting the triple-figure mark and his shell-shocked reaction has gone viral on the internet.
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While social media has been going gaga over his knock, a section of people on Twitter are trolling the keeper-batter left, right, and center and are calling him ‘selfish’ for being disappointed for not being able to accomplish a personal goal despite India’s win.
Check out the reactions of the fans:
Later, after collecting his Player of the Match award, KL Rahul said that he didn’t have a lot of conversation with Virat Kohli after he joined him in the middle when India was reeling at 2/3. He revealed that Kohli had advised him to play the game like Test cricket. He revealed:
“(On walking out at 2/3) Quite honestly not a lot of conversation, I thought I’d get a good shower and get a break. I was just trying to get my breath back. Virat said there’s a bit in the wicket, so play like Test cricket for a while. There was a bit of help for the pacers with the new ball, and then the spinners also. In the last 15-20 overs, dew played a part and that helped quite a bit.”
He added: “The ball also skidded on better. However, it was a bit two-paced, it wasn’t the easiest of wickets to bat on and it wasn’t flat as well. It was a good cricket wicket, bit for the batters and the bowlers. That’s what you get in the south of India, especially Chennai.”
