Bharat emerges as the new 'Choker' in World Cricket
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Following their defeat at the hands of Australia in the ICC Men's World Cup 2023 final on Sunday, it would not be inaccurate to say that Bharat (India) has become the new 'choker' in world cricket, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel.
On Sunday, Australia secured their sixth World Cup title by defeating India by six wickets, marking the 10th occasion that Bharat has faltered in winning an ICC event.
It is yet another near miss for India, who have not won the World Cup since 2011 and have been without a major tournament win since claiming the 2013 Champions Trophy.
In cricket, the term 'chokers' is often associated with a team that unexpectedly performs poorly, leading to defeat in crucial matches.
Historically, this title was primarily attributed to South Africa, as their consistent exits from ICC events earned them the reputation.
However, recent events suggest that Bharat has now assumed this unwanted title.
Before the World Cup final on Sunday, Bharat remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, winning all nine matches in the group stage and securing victory against New Zealand in the semi-final.
However, in the final, Bharat once again had to taste the bitterness of defeat.
Looking at Bharat's performance in the last ten ICC events:
2014 T20 World Cup: Lost in the final.
2015 World Cup: Lost in the semi-final.
2016 T20 World Cup: Lost in the semi-final.
2017 Champions Trophy: Lost in the final.
2019 World Cup: Lost in the semi-final.
2021 World Test Championship: Lost in the final.
2021 T20 World Cup: Eliminated in the Super 12 stage.
2022 T20 World Cup: Lost in the semi-final.
2023 ICC World Test Championship: Lost.
2023 ICC Men's One Day World Cup: Lost.
Analyzing Bharat's performance over the past ten ICC events, it is evident that the team have faced consistent setbacks in crucial stages.
This has led to the cricketing world associating Bharat with the unfortunate tag of being a 'choker,' a title that was once synonymous with South Africa.
The recent World Cup defeat reinforces the notion that Bharat has become the new 'choker' in world cricket.