The Unique 'Arsenal' Connection Behind Asha Sobhana's 'Goggles' Celebration After Wicket in T20 WC Opener

Team India was left reeling after a shocking defeat against New Zealand in their Women's T20 World Cup opener at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday. Despite a modest target of 161, the Indian team could only muster a dismal 102 before being bowled out. It was a disappointing performance with the bat for the Indian side.

New Zealand, after opting to bat first, had a strong start thanks to their openers, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer. The duo stitched together a 67-run stand, providing their side with a solid platform. Bates was particularly dangerous early on, but it was Arundhati Reddy who broke the partnership, dismissing Bates and offering India some hope of regaining control.

Plimmer soon followed, falling prey to Asha Sobhana’s clever bowling. Sobhana's impact was immediate, as she got rid of the dangerous Plimmer, thanks to a brilliant running catch by Smriti Mandhana.

The momentum seemed to shift in India’s favour, but Sobhana’s celebration immediately after the dismissal drew just as much attention. Sobhana brought out a celebration inspired by Arsenal footballer Leandro Trossard; her Arsenal fandom has been well-documented, and her admiration for the Premier League star once even led her to compare him to none other than former Indian cricketing icon MS Dhoni.

During a video where Sobhana is seemingly tasked to form a cricket playing XI comprising of footballers, Sobhana placed Trossard as a finisher, stating that he was “her MS Dhoni.”

Sobhana proved to be India’s most economical bowler in the match, conceding just 5.50 runs per over in her spell. She derailed New Zealand’s charge to a total beyond 180, holding them to 161 by the end of their 20 overs.

However, India’s batting let them down, with no batter being able to convert starts into a substantial contribution. of the batters were able to breach the 20-run mark, with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur registering the highest score (15) in the batting order.