ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the winning trophy to Australian captain Pat Cummins in the final of the World Cup.
This was the first time after 1996 that the ICC World Cup trophy was handed over to the winning captain by the head of a country.
In 1996 in Lahore, the then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto presented the trophy to Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Rana Tunga.
In 1999, the ICC took the responsibility of conducting the World Cup itself. Since then the ICC president usually gave the trophy to the winning captain. After 25 years, Narendra Modi entered the ground to give the trophy. He went to the Indian dressing room and met each player individually.
According to a viral video, Narendra Modi patted India’s most successful bowler Mohammad Shami on the cheek and encouraged him. He went to each player and praised their performance. He spoke to Jasprit Bumrah in Gujarati.