'PM Narendra Modi motivating the team was huge': Suryakumar Yadav after PM's visit following World Cup loss

Suryakumar Yadav, who is currently leading India in the T20I series against Australia, shared a moving message on Saturday, six days after India’s defeat to Australia in the Cricket World Cup final. In the message, Suryakumar thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting the Indian team in their dressing room, and urged fans to keep supporting the Men in Blue.

“As you all know, it’s been 4-5 days since the end of the World Cup. Everyone is disappointed, including us. But the support that we received from our fans in India and abroad was amazing to witness, and I would like to say that at the end of the day, this is a sport and it teaches us a lot, like how to go ahead and move on in life. I just want to say that please maintain the support you have given us all the time,” SKY said in a video posted by BCCI.

“As you all saw after the final ended, our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji also met us in the dressing room and motivated us,” added Surya.

Suryakumar added that PM Modi motivating the team following the defeat was huge. “He said, ‘It is a sport, and this happens – the ups and downs. You have to take all these things in your stride.’ Yes, it will take time to get over and come out of this. But his motivational words and coming to meet all of us for five-six minutes was very big; a leader of the country coming into the dressing room and motivating the team was huge for all of us,” commented the 33-year-old.

Suryakumar Yadav thanking the support of fans and PM Narendra Modi for his motivation. pic.twitter.com/KFhq0V8PE6

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 25, 2023

India were unbeaten throughout the  league stage of the ODI World Cup as well as went onto beat New Zealand in the semi-finals. However, the hosts fell in the final hurdle, with Travis Head’s century overshadowing Virat Kohli and KL Rahul’s fifties as Australia chased down 241 to win their sixth ODI World Cup title.

Suryakumar said that the Men in Blue would play future ICC tournaments with the same intensity they showcased in the ODI World Cup during their 10-match unbeaten run. The next ICC event will be the 2024 T20 World Cup in June next year, to be hosted by West Indies and the United States of America.

“We listened to PM Modi’s words carefully and he also spent time with us. But we will try to play very well in future tournaments. We again have an ICC tournament to come in the next year and we will play in future events with the intensity shown in this World Cup and hopefully, we will win it,” said the right-handed batter.