File image of Ravi Shastri and Hardik Pandya.© X (Twitter)
Ravi Shastri enjoys adding excitement to the toss time of a match, and during the 2024 T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa, he did not disappoint. Shastri created a boxing-like atmosphere at the toss, leading to a cheeky moment where he jokingly referred to the match referee as a ‘punching bag’. This light-hearted comment caused laughter among the two captains, Rohit Sharma and Aiden Markram.
Shastri’s humorous reference played on the intensity of big matches where players often seek the match referee’s intervention. The former India coach introduced Richie Richardson, the match referee, as a calming presence and potential ‘punching bag’ to keep things under control.
The captains could not contain their laughter at Shastri’s witty remarks. Prior to the comedy, Shastri had playfully mentioned that Markram and Rohit were prepared for a boxing match in the final.
Shastri, who coached India during the 2021 T20 World Cup, now watches as India and South Africa battle it out in the 2024 T20 World Cup Final. Both teams are eager to shed their reputation for faltering in crucial moments. India aims to bounce back from recent losses and give a fitting farewell to coach Rahul Dravid. Meanwhile, South Africa seeks their inaugural T20 World Cup title after making their first final appearance.
An intriguing aspect of this final is that both sides remain undefeated in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Whoever emerges victorious will make history by winning the tournament without a single defeat, a milestone never achieved before.
