Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Indian Cricket Team to congratulate them on their T20 World Cup win against South Africa, officials said. This triumph marks the end of an 11-year ICC title drought for India.
The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to coach Rahul Dravid, whose two-and-a-half-year tenure as Team India’s head coach concluded with Saturday’s (June 29, 2024) match. “Rahul Dravid’s incredible coaching journey has shaped the success of Indian cricket.
His unwavering dedication, strategic insights and nurturing of the right talent have transformed the team,” Modi said. Under Dravid’s guidance, Team India achieved this significant milestone, bringing home the T20 World Cup.
PM Modi also praised Rohit Sharma for his “splendid captaincy” and commended Virat Kohli for his outstanding performance in the final match. In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, “You are excellence personified. Your aggressive mindset, batting and captaincy have given a new dimension to the Indian team. Your T20 career will be remembered fondly. Delighted to have spoken to you earlier today.”
Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their T20I retirements following the victory. Kohli made his announcement minutes after the triumph, while Rohit Sharma confirmed his decision during the official post-match press conference. Modi expressed his admiration for both players in another tweet: “Glad to have spoken to you. Like the innings in the Finals, you have anchored Indian batting splendidly. You’ve shone in all forms of the game. T20 Cricket will miss you but I am confident you’ll continue to motivate the new generation of players.”
The Prime Minister lauded Hardik Pandya for his crucial final over and Suryakumar Yadav for his remarkable boundary catch to dismiss David Miller. Home Minister Amit Shah also personally called Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma to congratulate them on the win.
In a video message released yesterday, PM Modi highlighted the team’s undefeated streak throughout the tournament. “Champions! Our team brings the T20 World Cup home in style! We are proud of the Indian Cricket Team,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The nation erupted in euphoric celebrations last evening as fans filled the streets, waving the Tricolour in the wake of Team India’s T20 World Cup victory. Social media was abuzz with congratulatory messages and images of jubilant fans as India edged past South Africa by seven runs in the final match at Kensington Oval, Barbados, securing an ICC title after 11 long years.
