Mahendra Singh Dhoni has finally addressed the agonising defeat that marked the end of his illustrious international career.
The former Indian captain revealed the emotional toll of the 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand, admitting it was a heartbreaking experience.
A video featuring the conversation was dropped on X and went viral in no time. In the clip, a fan can be seen asking Dhoni how he dealt with the ODI World Cup defeat in 2019.
It was a difficult one because I knew that this would be my last World Cup, so it would have been good to be on the winning side. It was a heartbreak moment but we accepted the result and we tried to move on,’ Dhoni was heard saying in the viral video.
Knowing that the tournament would be his last, Dhoni had hoped to bow out on a victorious note. However, destiny had other plans. The run-out that ended his innings proved to be a turning point in the match, and India ultimately fell short.
The legendary wicketkeeper-batter shared that overcoming the disappointment took time, a luxury afforded to him by his subsequent retirement from international cricket. Despite the pain, Dhoni emphasised the importance of accepting the result and moving forward.
‘Time thoda lagta hai aur World Cup ke baad thoda time mil bhi jata hai. Maine toh uske baad international khela nahi hai toh mujhe toh kaafi time mila hai, (It takes time and one gets some time after the World Cup. I didn’t play any internationally after that, so I got enough time),’ Dhoni told the fan.
‘So you just accept that you tried your best, but you were not able to win .’
