Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has criticised 1983 World Cup winner Kirti Azad for for questioning the Indian team leadership group — skipper Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir and International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah — for taking the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 trophy to a temple after the team’s victory on Sunday in Ahmedabad.India created history by winning a record third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title and becoming the first side to successfully defend the trophy as well as win it on home soil. India sealed the title with a commanding 96-run victory over the New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Following the win, Surya, Gambhir and Jay Shah visited a Hanuman temple near the stadium to seek blessings and took the trophy along with them.Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Kirti questioned the move, stating that sport and sportspersons do not belong to any religion or caste.Responding to Azad’s remarks, Harbhajan criticised him for politicising the team’s visit to the temple. He said Azad’s comments were surprising and added that, as a former cricketer, he should refrain from making such remarks and may be placing politics above sportsmanship.“It’s absurd that someone is politicising the players taking the trophy to a temple. Kirti himself is a former cricketer, so I didn’t expect him to say such a thing. Perhaps he’s prioritising politics more and has forgotten he’s a sportsman,” Harbhajan said.Kirti Azad had said, “140 crore people were excited when Team India, which includes people from all religions, won. A sportsperson or sports does not belong to any religion or caste but only to the sport. As a sportsperson, I say Team India made India victorious. Team India won, and this is a matter of pride for the people of India.”Harbhajan also said he expected a bigger reward for the Men in Blue after the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced a prize of Rs 131 crore for the team following their World Cup triumph. However, he congratulated the players for their dominant campaign and for showcasing India’s strength.“I was expecting more, because when such a big task is undertaken, the reward should be even greater. But congratulations to the team for their dominance in the World Cup, and for showing everyone how powerful India is,” Harbhajan said.India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs to successfully defend their T20 World Cup title. The win made India the first team to claim the T20 World Cup on home soil, the first to win back-to-back titles after their 2024 triumph, and the first side to lift the trophy three times — in 2007, 2024 and 2026.
