Last Update on: November 21st, 2023 at 04:09 pm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Indian dressing room to motivate the players after the heartbreaking loss in the final of the recently-concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. India entered the final as the firm favorites but ended up losing the game against Australia by 6 wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Having won all of their ten games in the World Cup and dominating almost all of them, India were widely expected to beat Australia. However, the Men in Blue failed to do well in the final and suffered a heartbreaking loss. Australia thoroughly dominated the contest and outplayed the hosts to register a record-extending sixth World Cup title.
The players were distraught after the loss and some of them even struggled to contain their emotions. Soon after the game ended, PM Modi, who also attended the game and handed the World Cup trophy to Pat Cummins, went to the Indian dressing room to console and motivate the players and the coaching staff.
Kirti Azad slams PM Narendra Modi:
In the dressing room, PM Modi was seen comforting skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as he patted the duo’s back. He also shook hands with other members of the team including head coach Rahul Dravid and was seen embracing Mohammed Shami.
And while PM Modi’s gesture has received praise from several quarters, former cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad has slammed him for the same. Taking to X, Kirti Azad stated that the PM should not have entered the dressing room and should have met the team outside.
“The dressing room is the sanctum sanctorum of any team. @ICC does not allow anybody to enter these rooms apart from the players and the support staff. PM of India should have met the team outside the dressing room in the private visitors area. I say this as a #sportsman and not #politician,” he wrote.
“Would @narendramodi allow his supporters to come and console or congratulate him in his bedroom, dressing room or the toilet?” he added.
Writing further, Kirti Azad, who was a member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team, called PM Modi panauti (a term used to describe a person who brings bad luck or is considered inauspicious) and questioned BCCI’s decision of not inviting the legendary Kapil Dev for the final.
“#Sportspersons are far more disciplined than #politicians. #Panauti Last, but not the least, the man and whose team did it for India, In 1983 @therealkapildev was also not invited. Now tell me who is doing politics?” wrote Kirti Azad.
The dressing room is the
sanctum sanctorum of any
team. @ICC does not allow anybody
to enter these rooms apart
from the players and the
support staff.PM of India should have met
the team outside the dressing
room in the private visitors
area.I say this as a…
— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) November 21, 2023
