When India needed four runs off 12 balls, KL Rahul charged down the track to Glenn Maxwell and hit the tossed-up delivery deep into the stands.
A roar followed. India had beaten Australia, the same side that inflicted immense pain on them on the night of the ODI World Cup final at home barely 15 months ago. India had beaten Australia last year to knock them out of the T20 World Cup, but it was in a different format.
The wounds of the 50-over format were still fresh. A fan who breached security to come near the playing are immediately after India beat Australia by four wickets to advance to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final summed it all.
An emotional fan with tears rolling down his eyes ran in to hug KL Rahul, who made no attempts to push him away. For he knew what it meant to every Indian cricket. Rahul consoled the young man with a warm hug like he had done Team India when Virat Kohli uncharacteristically threw his wicket away for 84.
Visuals of Rahul hugging the crying fan went viral after India’s victory.
After the match, former India opener Abhinav Mukund said, “The wounds (of the 2023 ODI World Cup) are heading.”
