While the pain of defeat lingers...: Kuldeep Yadav reacts, pens heartfelt note after India's ODI WC final loss

India lost to Australia by six wickets in the 2023 ODI World Cup final on Nov 19 at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. Under Rohit Sharma's captaincy, Team India was on a roll and won ten games on the trot before losing the finale after managing only 240 in 50 overs. In reply, Travis Head's 137 and Marnus Labuschagne's 58 not out sealed the deal for the Aussies, who won their sixth ODI WC title overall.

Thus, India missed a golden opportunity to win another ODI WC, which would have been their third overall, at home. After the heartbreaking loss, players are slowly and steadily trying to move on from the heavy defeat. Kuldeep Yadav, one of India's key players in the 2023 edition, also shared a heartfelt post for fans following India's unfulfilled campaign. He thanked the Indian fans for their constant support and revealed that it was time to switch off and recharge as the team members are trying to move on.

Kuldeep took to his official account on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote, "Our journey from Chennai to Ahmedabad ended in a disappointing result, but we take pride in our achievements over the six weeks. Despite the pain, we're determined to work harder for the next opportunity. Thanks to our dedicated support staff, we were fully prepared for every opponent, and their commitment reassured us as players."

"The love from fans at each of the 9 venues touched our hearts and motivated us to exceed our limits. We're grateful to passionate fans worldwide and in every Indian Household for their support.

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"While the pain of defeat lingers, we must move forward; life continues, and healing takes time. The Cup was beautiful, but it seems God had other plans. Navigating this moment, it's time to switch off and recharge. Dealing with this setback is tough, but we hold onto faith, believing in the journey ahead," he further added.

Talking about Kuldeep's performance in the CWC 2023 edition, the ace spinner ended with 15 wickets in 11 games, at an average of 28.26 and an economy rate of 4.45. In the final, he went wicketless for 56 runs in his full quota of overs. 

Kuldeep is currently away from cricketing action and, thus, not part of the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team for the five T20Is versus Australia at home. He is expected to be part of India's tour of South Africa, starting next month.