India’s T20 World Cup triumph in Ahmedabad will be remembered for the fireworks with the bat and perhaps the most dominant win in an ICC final. But one of the most powerful stories from that night happened, beyond anyone’s guess. Ishan Kishan walked out to bat in the final carrying a personal tragedy that few outside the dressing room knew about.
Just a day before the final, Kishan lost his cousin sister and brother-in-law in a road accident. The couple were travelling to attend a wedding when the crash took place. Their two children, aged six months and three years, survived. While fans packed the Narendra Modi Stadium to watch the final, Kishan’s father Pranav Pandey was dealing with the heartbreaking news back home instead of travelling to Ahmedabad.
“Anarth ho gaya. Hum log bahut badi musibat mein hain,” Kishan’s father told Times of India, describing the shock the family was going through.
Kishan chose to stay with the team
The news reached Kishan during the build-up to the final. Naturally, he wanted to go back home to be with his family. But with India preparing for the biggest match of the year, he stayed back with the team. Those close to the Indian camp noticed something was different. Kishan is usually one of the liveliest players during practice. But on the eve of the final he was quieter than usual. His batting session was shorter and he kept mostly to himself during training.
Teammates tried to lift his mood. Several players walked over during practice, putting an arm around his shoulder and speaking with him. Still, Kishan went through his routine. He spent time practising catches under lights and preparing for the final like any other day.
Kishan stars in final & dedicates his 50 to…
When the match began, Kishan produced one of the most important knocks of the game. While Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson gave a wondrous start to the team, it was crucial for Kishan to continue with the flow of runs.
Batting at number three, the left-hander smashed 54 off just 25 balls to keep India’s scoring rate high after the opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. India eventually posted a massive 255 on the board. Kishan also made an impact in the field. He took three crucial catches, including a sharp one to dismiss Rachin Ravindra and another juggling effort near the boundary to remove Tim Seifert.
After reaching his half-century, Kishan raised his bat and briefly pointed towards the sky. Later he explained the gesture. “I lost my cousin sister yesterday in a road accident and she always wanted me to score big runs. This is for her. I got to know about it yesterday and was very disturbed.”
