I am saddened that the Indian team didn’t make it to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Final, thanks to some poor decision making by the team management and poor batting by the batsmen.
But I am glad the other Men in Blue team made it and won it, for reasons different from those you might think. It must have been heartbreaking for the Kiwis that the finals had to be decided in a super-over, but that just shows you how closely contested the match was.
As I had written earlier, I think England needed the victory like a balm right now, what with Brexit looming and the nation more divided than ever. From media reports, it appears that many Britons did indeed watch the Finals.
Hopefully, folks in Britain will take something out of this victory to heal their broken spirits. The most diverse of English teams ever – with as many as seven of the fifteen players hailing from other countries – should teach them something about the positive aspects of British multiculturalism.
Trust politicians like Jacob Rees Mogg, who apparently said “We clearly don’t need Europe to win”, to gain political mileage out of it. One hopes the people know better.
Featured image of the captains with the trophy is courtesy ICC cricket world cup website.
Peripatetic Perch 