T20 World Cup 2024: Overwhelmed Rohit Sharma takes a bite of Barbados sand after lifting trophy

Rohit Sharma. (Source – ICC)

Rohit Sharma became the only second captain in Indian cricket’s history to lift the T20 World Cup as India managed to win a thriller against South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29. After the game, the players were emotional and it was palpable as the likes of Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Rohit Sharma were in tears. After the game, Rohit was seen walking to the pitch grabbed a pinch of sand, and swallowed it.

It might strike as an unusual behavior for some but the move resembles the cultural and philosophical importance. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna ate the mud when he was deprived of sweets from his mother Yashoda, and when the latter checked the unfollowing of the command, she witnessed a whole universe inside his mouth. The same goes for the works of renowned poet, William Blake as he witnessed an amalgamation of the world in a sand grain.

World Cup is no joke to an athlete when the biggest of the trophies eludes you for so long it becomes a rage. Rohit carried the same rage for years and was just a step away on many occasions from grabbing it. When you are termed as the World Champion, the swallowing of sand from where you grabbed the respect is a fitting metaphor for the cultural and traditional importance of an Indian.

Here’s the video of Rohit’s emotional antic:

India pull off a heist in Barbados

India were on the pedestal as they put 176 runs on the board on the back of Virat Kohli’s 76 runs and Axar Patel’s 47 runs. The bowlers did a great job at first to defend the total but Heinrich Klaasen took the game away with his quickfire 52 off just 27 deliveries. Hardik made a resounding comeback as he picked Klaasen and defended 16 runs off the last over by picking David Miller’s wicket.