ROURKELA (Odisha): Had India not held onto their 5-4 lead and resultantly finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics a little over a year ago, a lot would have looked different at the 2023 World Cup beginning in a day's time here in Odisha. But India managed to avoid that scare, when veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh thwarted the last throw of the dice by the Germans in the dying seconds.
The pent-up emotion of generations across 41 years turned into a picture on the field at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo. And while the Indian team soaked in the historic moment amid tears of joy, Sreejesh climbed up the goal post to sit like Mufasa, the Lion King, overseeing his kingdom.
