NEW DELHI: Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar presented Indian run-machine Virat Kohli with a special gift ahead of the highly anticipated 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final between India and Australia.
Tendulkar gifted Kohli a signed jersey, creating a heartwarming moment that showcased the camaraderie and admiration between the two cricket icons. The International Cricket Council (ICC) shared delightful pictures of Kohli holding the jersey and engaging in a conversation with the maestro.
Expressing their admiration for Kohli, ICC wrote on social media, "You make us proud!"
The gesture symbolises the passing of the baton from one cricketing great to another, highlighting Kohli's remarkable achievements, including surpassing Tendulkar's record for the most hundreds in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
In the World Cup final held at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Australia's captain, Pat Cummins, won the toss and elected to field first against the undefeated Indian team. Both teams retained their winning lineups from the semi-finals, with India seeking to end their global title drought since the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Rohit Sharma's India, having won all ten matches in the tournament, faced Australia, a team they defeated in the group stage.
The World Cup final is played in front of a record-breaking crowd of 130,000 fans at the world's largest cricket stadium, creating a historic and electric atmosphere.
The hosts aim to secure their third World Cup title, with memories of Australia's dominant performance in the 2003 final adding extra significance to the encounter.
