New Delhi. The Indian cricket team is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi after returning from the West Indies, where they defeated South Africa in a thrilling last-over encounter to win the 2024 T20 World Cup title. It is understood that senior officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will plan the meeting and most of the players are likely to attend it as only Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dubey may not be present due to the five T20 matches against Zimbabwe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to members of the Indian cricket team over the phone and congratulated them on winning the T20 World Cup. Officials said that PM Modi congratulated Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma for his excellent captaincy and praised his T20 career. The Prime Minister also praised Virat Kohli for his innings in the final match and also praised his contribution to Indian cricket.
Both Sharma and Kohli have announced their retirement from international cricket after winning the T20 World Cup. Officials said that Prime Minister Modi praised Hardik Pandya for the last over of the final match and Suryakumar Yadav for catching David Miller on the boundary. He also praised the contribution of Jasprit Bumrah.
The Prime Minister thanked outgoing coach Rahul Dravid for his contribution to Indian cricket. PM Modi praised Sharma, Kohli and Dravid in a post on ‘X’. He said about Sharma, “You are a man of excellence. Your aggressive thinking, batting and captaincy have given a new dimension to the Indian team. Your T20 career will always be remembered. It was a pleasure to talk to you today.”
The Prime Minister said about Kohli, “Like the innings in the final, you have taken the Indian batting forward brilliantly. You have shone in all formats of this game. T20 cricket will miss you, but I am sure you will continue to inspire the new generation of players.”
Praising Dravid, he said that his extraordinary coaching has shaped the success of Indian cricket. He said that Dravid’s unwavering dedication, strategic insight and skill in finding the right talent has made the team even better. PM Modi said, “India is grateful to him for his contribution and inspiring many generations. We were happy to see him lift the World Cup. Happy to congratulate him.”
The Prime Minister said that the team displayed excellent skill and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. He said that the commitment of each player is very inspiring. With all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also announcing his retirement from international T20, PM Modi praised his contribution to cricket.
PM Modi said, “You have performed exceptionally well as an all-rounder. Cricket lovers admire your brilliant stroke play, spin and excellent fielding. Thank you for your thrilling performance in T20 over the years. My best wishes for your upcoming endeavours.”
Tags: Narendra Modi, Rohit Sharma, T20 World Cup, Team India, Virat Kohli
FIRST PUBLISHED : June 30, 2024, 23:35 IST