The stage was amply set: an acrobatic air show by Indian military planes, performances by star Bollywood singers, a light display, lots of fireworks and — talked about as the highlight — an appearance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the vast stadium that bears his name.
All India’s national cricket team, undefeated and heavily favored, had to do was win.
In the end, the Indians fell short, losing to Australia on Sunday night in the men’s World Cup, silencing the home crowd of about 100,000 and bringing heartache to more than a billion Indians who have grown used this year to unending validation of their country’s global rise.
The result was a bitter pill for a nation that expected a coronation as the most dominant force, measured in passion and money, in a sport that by some estimates is the world’s second most popular.
It seemed to symbolize how far India has come, on and off the field, and how far it still has to go.
Persons:
—, Narendra Modi
Organizations:
national cricket team, Australia
Locations:
India