With 12 balls left and only four runs to get, KL Rahul came out against Glenn Maxwell and tossed-up the ball deep into the stands. There was deafening noise all around—India finally achieved a dashing win. They had defeated Australia, the very same team which broke their hearts in the ODI World Cup final at home exactly 15 months ago.
Though India had eliminated Australia from last year’s T20 World Cup, that was a different format. The wounds of the 50-over heartbreak still fresh. But this win was like redemption. A spectator, with tears in his eyes, broke through security and ran onto the field as soon as India clinched the victory by four wickets, reaching the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final. Tears flowed down his face as he hugged KL Rahul, who instead of shoving him away, hugged him back—well knowing what this hug was worth to millions of Indian cricket fans.
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This is how KL Rahul should play ~ with a fearless approach 🇮🇳 #INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/8nJvYP6iPn
---Advertisement---— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) March 5, 2025
KL Rahul took the charge responsibly when Virat Kohli, threatening to score the match-winning runs, lost his wicket all of a sudden for 84. And at that instant with the emotional supporter, he gave the same kindness. The heart-wrenching picture of Rahul hugging the crying fan went viral on social media, symbolizing what this victory represented.