Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the Indian dressing room following the hosts' heartbreaking loss to Australia in the Cricket World Cup 2024 Final in Ahmedabad. The surprise visit was intended to uplift the spirits and confidence of the players amidst the disappointment of the defeat. During his interaction, PM Modi engaged with nearly all players, addressing the somber atmosphere that surrounded the squad in the aftermath of the match.
Senior India pacer Mohammed Shami, who emerged as the highest wicket-taker in the Cricket World Cup with 24 wickets, has shed light on Prime Minister Modi's interaction with the team.
"When our hearts were broken, we were crying, when we were not even eating, at that point of time, Modiji came. He gave us confidence. He said, 'Bahut accha khele ho aap log, hum aapke saath hai, Pura Bharat aapke saath hai.' When you hear such a thing, you feel good," Mohammed Shami said on News18.
In a December interview with Aaj Tak, Shami revealed that the players were taken by surprise by PM Modi's visit, as they were not expecting it at the time.
"We were heartbroken after the loss and were sitting dejectedly. It was like our hard work of two months got negated due to just one match. It was our bad day and we were dejected but when the PM enters, you have to keep your head high. We were not even told that Modiji was coming there and suddenly he entered. Earlier, we were not even in the mood to eat and talk to each other but when he came, it was such a big surprise for us," said Shami.
"We got shocked when he entered the room. He then came and spoke to all of us. And it was actually after that moment that we started talking to each other. We talked and said that we need to move on from this loss. So, PM Modi's visit helped us a lot," he added.