On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Team India over the phone, congratulating them on their thrilling victory over South Africa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. He offered special thanks to cricketing legend Rahul Dravid, praising his “incredible” journey as head coach for shaping this success.
Dravid, who will be stepping down as Team India’s coach, concludes his tenure on a high note despite India’s earlier heartbreaking loss to Australia in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final on November 19, 2023. “Rahul Dravid’s incredible coaching journey has shaped the success of Indian cricket. His unwavering dedication, strategic insights, and talent nurturing have transformed the team. India is grateful to him for his contributions and for inspiring generations. We are happy to see him lift the World Cup. Happy to have congratulated him,” the prime minister shared on X.
Spoke to the Indian 🏏 team and congratulated them on their exemplary success at the T20 World Cup. They have shown excellent skill and spirit throughout the tournament. Each player’s commitment is very motivating. 🇮🇳 🏆
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 30, 2024
Modi also spoke to captain Rohit Sharma, commending him for his “splendid” captaincy and celebrating his T20 career. He lauded Virat Kohli for his player-of-the-match performance, scoring 76 runs that set up a competitive total for India, and reflected on Kohli’s significant contributions to Indian cricket. Both Sharma and Kohli announced their retirement from international T20 cricket following this historic victory, marking the end of India’s 13-year title drought.
Rahul Dravid’s incredible coaching journey has shaped the success of Indian cricket.
His unwavering dedication, strategic insights and nurturing the right talent have transformed the team.
India is grateful to him for his contributions and for inspiring generations. We are… pic.twitter.com/8MKSPqztDV
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 30, 2024
Also read: Rohit Sharma on T20 World Cup win: ‘Definitely one of the greatest, hard to put it in words’
The Prime Minister extended his congratulations to Indian bowlers Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah for their pivotal roles in the match. He praised Pandya for his final over and acknowledged Bumrah’s crucial efforts in the game’s closing stages. Additionally, he recognized Surya Kumar Yadav for his vital catch, which likely turned the game in India’s favor against South Africa.
Dear @ImRo45,
You are excellence personified. Your aggressive mindset, batting and captaincy has given a new dimension to the Indian team. Your T20 career will be remembered fondly. Delighted to have spoken to you earlier today. pic.twitter.com/D5Ue9jHaad
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 30, 2024
Late on Saturday, June 29, after India’s triumph, PM Modi posted a congratulatory video message for the ‘Men in Blue,’ hailing them as champions and acknowledging their victory as one that has won the hearts of millions of Indians.
