Fans have a tradition of teasing Shubman Gill by chanting “Sara, Sara” at cricket stadiums. However, during the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2023 match at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, things became uncomfortable as Sara Tendulkar, Sachin Tendulkar’s daughter, was in attendance. The chants took an awkward turn when fans began yelling, “Hamari bhabi kaisi ho”. In this situation, former India captain Virat Kohli urged the Mumbai crowd to stop the “Sara” chants and instead cheer for Shubman Gill. Watch the video below.
Kohli and Gill were in the slip fielding positions, and while Kohli remained composed and didn’t react to the teasing chants directed at him, he took a different approach when the crowd began teasing Gill.
Kohli made a gesture to the crowd, signaling them to stop their shouts and instead encouraged them to chant Gill’s name. As a result, the stadium resounded with “Shubman Shubman” chants, with Kohli motivating the crowd through hand gestures.
IND vs SL: Kohli, Gill, Iyer, and Shami power India to semifinals
Asked to bat first, India posted a daunting total of 357/8 in 50 overs, thanks to impressive batting display by Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, each scoring fifties. Dilshan Madushanka stood out as the best bowler for Sri Lanka, achieving a five-wicket haul, a rare achievement for Sri Lankan bowlers in ODI World Cup history.
In response, the Indian bowlers, led by Mohammed Shami’s five-wicket haul,restricted Sri Lanka to a mere 55 runs. This victory marked India’s seventh consecutive win, securing their place in the semifinals with a massive 302-run margin. Mohammed Siraj also contributed with a three-wicket haul, while Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah each claimed a wicket.
The Men In Blue will now face South Africa in their next World Cup clash at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday, November 05.