NEW DELHI: (HRNW) Former Cricketer Kirti Azad Slams Indian Team for Taking T20 World Cup Trophy to Temple Kirti Azad, a former Indian cricketer and current Member of the Lok Sabha, has lashed out at the Indian cricket team and officials for taking the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 trophy to a temple. In a strongly worded post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Azad expressed his outrage, stating that the team “should be ashamed” of such an act.
Drawing parallels to India’s historic 1983 World Cup victory, the former player reminded the public that the winning squad comprised Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, and Christian cricketers, and that the trophy belonged to the entire nation. He questioned the current narrative, asserting that the winning team represented India, not the private families of players like Suryakumar Yadav or BCCI Secretary Jay Shah.
Azad highlighted the inclusive nature of the sport by noting that Mohammed Siraj did not take the trophy to a mosque, nor did Sanju Samson—whom he credited as the player of the tournament and a pivotal figure in the success—take the trophy to a church. He emphasized that the World Cup trophy belongs to all 140 crore Indians and should not be associated with a single religion.
The incident has sparked a heated debate within India, with the national team facing significant criticism from various quarters for what many perceive as a breach of the secular spirit of Indian sports.
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