Rohit Sharma recalls his favourite memories of ICC Cricket World Cup
WASHINGTON: Indian skipper Rohit Sharma on Monday recalled some of his favourite memories associated with the ICC Cricket World Cup, as India prepares to host the marquee sporting event for the first time in its entirety from October 5 to November 19.
The anticipation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is reaching a fever pitch as the prestigious Trophy Tour continues its global journey, captivating the hearts of fans around the world. The picturesque shores of Barbados witnessed the trophy’s arrival recently, leaving fans and players alike in awe of its magnificence.
Led by the Rohit Sharma, the Indian team had the privilege of getting a first-hand look at the silverware, an experience that served as a catalyst for the build-up to the highly anticipated marquee tournament. With every visit, the Trophy Tour is leaving an indelible mark, signifying the incredible global appeal of the World Cup. As the excitement builds and the anticipation grows, all eyes will be on that ‘One Day’, when cricketing glory awaits the nation that will lift the Trophy.
Speaking to ICC on Monday, Rohit expressed how he had never seen the trophy so closely before, even though he missed being part of the victorious squad in 2011. He said, “I have never seen it so close. Even when we won in 2011, I was not part of the squad. But yeah, it looks beautiful, so many memories behind the trophy as well, the past, the history. Yeah, so, it looks beautiful and hopefully we can lift it, fingers crossed.”
As Rohit Sharma fondly reminisced about his memories from various World Cups over the years, he demonstrated the enduring impact the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup has on players and fans. He recalled his memories of the World Cup, “Yeah, there is plenty actually. I was born in 1987’, so I remember the 1992 World Cup which Pakistan won. But I remember India, that famous Ajay Jadeja catch, to dismiss Alan Border if I’m not wrong. I remember that because actually it was stuck in everyone’s mind, it took fielding to the next level. And obviously, the 1996’ World Cup which was played back home, unfortunately we lost in the semi-finals, but I remember every little moment of all the World Cups, 1999 as well, the first thing that comes to my mind is that Herschelle Gibbs catch which cost them the World Cup I believe.”
“In 2003, India played really well up until the finals. You know, Sachin Tendulkar was amazing with the bat, scored so many runs. And then comes the 2007 World Cup where we did not have a great time, did not even qualify after the league stage, so that was quite unfortunate. 2011 was a memorable one for all of us, I remember watching it from home, every single match, every single ball which was being bowled and that was being played. There were two kinds of emotions, one was obviously I was not a part of it, so I was a little disappointed. I decided I was not going to watch the World Cup, but again, the second memory I remember was that India was playing so well, the quarter-finals onwards. You know, the big quarter-final was against Pakistan. I know how the pressure is on all these players when playing these games. I can only imagine the pressure that each player must have gone through at that time, and then the semi-finals against Australia. It was a brilliant finish by Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) and Raina (Suresh Raina) at the end.”
“And in 2015 and 2019, I was a part of it, which felt really good to play the World Cup. We went to the semi-finals, and tried everything we could to go to the finals and play well in the finals, but again, a very unfortunate incident where we could not go through to the finals. But hopefully, you know, we are back home again, so hopefully we can turn things around and it’s still a long way to go. And you know you cannot win the World Cup in one or two days. You got to play well for an entire month, a month and a half, and be consistent. So you know, we are trying everything we can, from our perspective to make sure we are ready for the World Cup,” he concluded his point.
Reflecting on the challenges posed by the limited-overs format, Rohit Sharma shared his mindset before the 2019 World Cup. The opening batter emphasized the importance of approaching each day as a fresh start, acknowledging that the limited-overs format demands a different level of mental and physical readiness.
“Yeah, I know every day is a fresh day. Every day is a fresh start, it is not like Test match cricket where you have the momentum with you and you carry the momentum to the next day. One-day cricket, limited overs format is like that, that is where the challenge comes. You have to start fresh every day and you know that is where I was. I was in a good mind space, I was feeling really good about my cricket, and prepared really well before the World Cup and when you are heading into a tournament like that, all you want to do is start well, mentally and physically fresh and then everything falls into place. So, I started really well in that tournament, got a hundred in the first game, and then for me, it was all about carrying that forward. Obviously, staying in the present was quite crucial for me as well, not thinking about what has happened in the past, obviously, you take a lot of confidence about what you have done in the past, but starting afresh and starting anew was very important. I was in a great mind space at that point in time and looking forward to creating that again.”
Rohit was the top-scorer in the 2019 WC, scoring 648 runs at an average of 81 in nine innings, with five centuries and a fifty. With the Trophy Tour serving as a beacon of excitement and anticipation, Rohit Sharma expressed his eagerness to play in various venues across India.
He said, “I know for a fact that every ground, every venue that we will be travelling to will get massive support. You know, it is the World Cup, so everyone is looking forward to this and the World Cup coming back to India after 12 years… you know 2011 was the last time we played a 50-over World Cup. We played a 20-over World Cup in 2016 but a 50-over World Cup after 12 years in the country, people are quite excited and we can see the buzz already back home. I will looking forward to playing in all venues. They all have their own charm and speciality, so I would like to embrace that.”
The excitement of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour extended beyond the Caribbean shores, as the Trophy visited two iconic sporting teams in the United States of America. In New York, the Trophy endured a summer storm at home plate before the Subway Series encounter between the baseball sides, New York Yankees and the New York Mets. Cricket’s history in the USA was celebrated with a visit to the Staten Island Cricket Club, which has proudly played at its home ground for an impressive 150 years. The tour also included delightful stops at the bustling Times Square and scenic Central Park, where surprised tourists posed for pictures with the iconic trophy.
The tour’s journey further extended to Papua New Guinea, where the World Cup Trophy received a heart-warming reception from over 2,000 locals in Gomore Village, located an hour southeast of the capital, Port Moresby. The vibrant enthusiasm for the sport was evident during the exhibition fixture between the PNG Academy and a combined Central Province team, allowing spectators to revel in thrilling cricket action. All pictures by ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
