Mohammed Shami, the leading wicket-taker of the ICC World Cup 2023 tournament, expressed his gratitude to fans for their unwavering support throughout the competition. He also extended thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for meeting the players in the dressing room. Despite India’s unbeaten run until the final, Travis Head’s remarkable century secured Australia’s sixth ICC Cricket World Cup crown, leaving a billion Indian hearts broken.
In a heartfelt message on social media, Shami shared his appreciation for the Indian supporters and posted a photo of the Prime Minister embracing him. He wrote, “Unfortunately, yesterday was not our day. I would like to thank all Indians for supporting our team and me throughout the tournament. Thankful to PM @narendramodi for especially coming to the dressing room and raising our spirits. We will bounce back!”
Remarkably, Shami, who did not play in the initial four games, emerged as a star bowler in the tournament, claiming 24 wickets with an impressive average of 5.26 and a strike rate of 10.70. His outstanding performance ranks him among the top wicket-takers in the history of the men’s Cricket World Cup.
Ravindra Jadeja, India’s star all-rounder and a member of the ICC Team of the Tournament, also expressed gratitude to the fans for their support. Despite the team falling short in the final, Jadeja acknowledged the special and motivating visit from Prime Minister Modi to the dressing room, stating, “We had a great tournament but we ended up short yesterday. We are all heartbroken, but the support of our people is keeping us going. PM @narendramodi’s visit to the dressing room yesterday was special and very motivating.”