Great Gesture By PM Narendra Modi: Shoaib Akhtar On Modi's Visit To Indian Dressing Room After 2023 WC Final

great gesture by pm narendra modi: shoaib akhtar on modi’s visit to indian dressing room after 2023 wc final

Rohit Sharma-led India suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Australia in the final of the 2023 World Cup. Defending a target of 241, India scalped three early wickets but there was no stopping Australia after the first powerplay. Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne rotated the strike easily and completed the chase in 43 overs.

Head was bestowed with the Player of the Match Award for his century. Following the game, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and Australia’s Deputy PM, Richard Marles presented Pat Cummins with the World Cup trophy.

Few Indian players could not control their emotions and broke down after the match. Taking note of the situation, PM Modi decided to lift the team’s morale and visited the dressing room. He met the players and boosted their confidence. Modi had a special praise for Mohammed Shami, who finished as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker.

Shoaib Akhtar hailed PM Modi for his gesture and said that Modi took the players as kids. Speaking to Zee News, the former Pakistani pacer said: “Your PM conveyed the message that they are with the players. It was a big gesture. This was a message that as a nation India is standing right beside the Indian team. That is very simple as that. This is like really really emotional time. He took them (players) as his children, as the kids and he lifted their morale to tell them that they played well. This was a great gesture by the PM.”

India and Australia will continue their rivalry and square off in a five-match T20I series from November 23 to December 3. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the Men in Blue in the series. Matthew Wade has been given the charge of the Australia team. David Warner, who was originally scheduled to play the series, has been rested. Team India will travel to South Africa after the Australia series.