To be fair, it was not a momentous week for Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.

Modi has been PM since 2014 and will face election again in 2024.

And, although he commiserated with the national team, his dismissive behaviour on stage as Australia received the Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 trophy made news across the world.

India, who were hosting the 13th edition of the ODl World Cup, dominated the competition with their enthusiastic obsession of a game introduced by the English during colonisation unfathomable even for cricket loving Australians.

Recent statistics highlight that 93 per cent of those who watch sport in India tune in to cricket.

There are in the vicinity of 2000 cricket academies, grounds, and stadiums.

The nation has three million registered cricketers, although that figure is a significant underestimation because the game is also enjoyed by the country's poorest, and played in poverty-stricken regions of a nation with a 1,408 billion population (2021).

And to further emphasise the point, cricket even mixes comfortably with politics.

After all, the final was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Now there's an idea, the Scott Morrison stadium on Hobart's waterfront. "How good is AFL!"

The Indian side won their first 10 games of a drawn-out 50-over tournament, dominating with both bat and ball on dusty wickets which favoured local knowledge and spin bowling. But then they faced an unlikely yet never-to-be-written-off opponent in the final, Australia.

I say unlikely because they were comprehensively beaten by India and South Africa in their opening two games, teams they would go on to beat in the semi-final and final to claim their sixth World Cup trophy.

While Prime Minister Modi did not have the greatest week, the hero of the tournament was Indian batter and former captain, the splendid Virat Kohli.

Kohli can be polarising because he plays the game old style; hard and tough. He fears no-one, is revered and worshipped by his country, and recognised and appreciated by opponents worldwide.

South-African born Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne drew Kohli's ire during the recent final of the World Cup.

Following a defensive stroke, and to prevent it rolling back onto the stumps, Labuschagne employed a hockey-like trap to stop the ball dead.

It was clever and neatly performed, taking away any risk of dismissal.

Kohli was furious. One can only assume that he believed it was a form of ball tampering, knocking the ball out of shape or similar and making it softer and easier to play.

The stare was lengthy, deliberate, and targeted. Kohli was having none of it and his annoyance continued in silence for about thirty metres.

To his credit, Labuschagne with his humour, character, and quirkiness met the stare, expressing a sense of bewilderment and surprise at Kohli's reaction.

Virat Kohli is deeply admired by Australian cricket fans, much like Tasmanian Ricky Ponting.

Kohli plays cricket like an Aussie.

He is incredibly skilled, a genius in fact, having brought up his 50th ODI century during the tournament, placing him ahead of greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Ponting.

However, there is only one King Kohli.

It is more than skill, it is his temperament. Kohli is belligerent, plays the game on the edge, and wears his heart on his sleeve, winning enthusiastically and losing with emotion.

Any outcome other than victory is simply not good enough for the King.

And if I had to acknowledge one characteristic that makes Kohli so like an Aussie cricketer, it is his competitiveness.

Kohli is ruthless.

He's determined to perform well because it assists his team and, the better he performs, the more often the Indian cricket team will win.

This will, at times, overflow and appear as anger, yet it is for a purpose - to find an edge or weakness and gain a psychological advantage in sport dominated by mind-games.

Labuschagne may not have realised at the time, but Kohli's reaction to his stoic resistance was the utmost of compliments.

There were three moments in the World Cup that made the tournament for me.

Pat Cummins' leadership, particularly during the final where he managed his bowlers with skill and a deft understanding of the game's ebbs and flows.

So much so that even News Corp who has tormented and mocked him mercilessly, had to recognise Cummins' man-management.

The second was Glenn Maxwell's double-century against Afghanistan, which was the best ODI innings we have ever seen.

But easily, the greatest moment was when Kohli, amidst utter sporting despair, presented Maxwell with a signed Indian jumper, embracing him with a hug.

It was a moment of humility, acceptance, and recognition.

Kohli's gesture was far from staged. It occurred to the side of the presentation area, out of the way of mainstream media cameras, and was only captured by fans and administrators with mobile phones.

Prime Minister Modi will soon face another election to determine his legacy.

By comparison, no matter what Kohli faces up to on the sporting field, he will remain a legend.

QOSHE - Touching Kohli moment the highlight of legendary World Cup - Brian Wightman
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Touching Kohli moment the highlight of legendary World Cup

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26.11.2023

To be fair, it was not a momentous week for Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.

Modi has been PM since 2014 and will face election again in 2024.

And, although he commiserated with the national team, his dismissive behaviour on stage as Australia received the Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 trophy made news across the world.

India, who were hosting the 13th edition of the ODl World Cup, dominated the competition with their enthusiastic obsession of a game introduced by the English during colonisation unfathomable even for cricket loving Australians.

Recent statistics highlight that 93 per cent of those who watch sport in India tune in to cricket.

There are in the vicinity of 2000 cricket academies, grounds, and stadiums.

The nation has three million registered cricketers, although that figure is a significant underestimation because the game is also enjoyed by the country's poorest, and played in poverty-stricken regions of a nation with a 1,408 billion population (2021).

And to further emphasise the point, cricket even mixes comfortably with politics.

After all, the final was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Now there's an idea, the Scott Morrison stadium on Hobart's waterfront. "How good is AFL!"

The Indian side won their first 10 games of a........

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