The Indian cricket team won all but one match in the 2023 Cricket World Cup and lost the title clash against Australia by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi watched the match along with Home Minister Amit Shah and thousands of fans hoping to end the 12-year wait for the ODI World Cup. But Pat Cummins’ men got the better of Rohit Sharma’s army, much to the disappointment of the host nation. Seeing the likes of Rohit, Virat Kohli and others dejected, Prime Minister Modi joined them in the Team India dressing room.
In a video shared by PIB, PM Modi can be seen consoling the devastated team while speaking to the players individually.
“Aap log poora 10-10 game jeet ke aaye ho, yeh toh hota rehta hai. Muskuraiye bhai, desh aap logon ko dekh raha hai. Maine socha mil lun sab ko. (You have won ten consecutive matches. This one loss is normal, it keeps happening. Please smile, the whole country is watching you. I thought I should go and meet you),” PM Modi said.
“Hota hai (it’s happening),” he told Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as they held hands.
Speaking to Ravindra Jadeja, a fellow Gujarati, the Prime Minister said: “Kya baboo (speaks in Gujarati and both laugh)”.
When he approached Mohammed Shami, who finished the tournament as one of the top wicket-takers, the Prime Minister hugged him. “Arrey Shami, bahut accha kiya iss baar. (Well done, Shami. You played very well this time),” he said.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Team India in their dressing room after the ICC World Cup Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on November 19.
The Prime Minister spoke to the players and encouraged them for their performance during the tournament.
(Video:… pic.twitter.com/ZqYIakoIIj
— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2023
To Jasprit Bumrah he said, “Do you speak Gujarati?” Bumrah replied, “A little bit.”
Further in the video, Prime Minister Modi said: “Toh, aap sab log bahut acchi mehnat kare ho. Chaliye, hota hai. There is a box with a household card and a ticket booth. Aur jab aap log zara free honge aur Delhi aayenge toh baithunga aap sab ke saath. If you sign up, you can sign up.(You have worked very hard and played exceptionally well. Just stick together and keep motivating each other. And when you are free and in Delhi, let’s meet again. From my side, you are all cordially invited.)”
The Indian cricket team was undefeated at the World Cup, winning ten matches on the trot before being defeated by Australia in the final.
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