Prime Minister Narendra Modi indirectly criticized the Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan cricket team for their poor performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The defending champions and hosts failed to register a single win in the mega event, losing their first two group stage matches against New Zealand and India, respectively. Their third league match against Bangladesh was also washed out.
Indian PM Modi, who often motivates sportspersons, also commented on the famous India-Pakistan cricket rivalry on the Lex Fridman podcast. PM Modi, however, said that sometimes the results speak for themselves, and it shows that India has the better team at the moment.
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"I think sports have the power to energise the entire world. The spirit of sports brings people across nations together. That's why I would never want sports to get discredited. I truly believe sports play a major role in human evolution. They're not just games; they connect people on a deeper level."
"Now coming to the question of who's better or not. When it comes to the techniques of the game, I'm not an expert. Only those who specialise in it can be the judge of it. They can only decide which team is the best and which players are the best. But sometimes, the results speak for themselves."
PM Modi recalled the last India vs Pakistan clash of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 where Rohit Sharma-led side defeated the Men in Green by six wickets in a one-sided contest to seal their berth for the semifinal of the mega event.
"Just a few days ago, India and Pakistan played a match and the result revealed who was the better team. That's how we know," said PM Modi.
While asked about the best footballer in his view. PM Modi said that in the 80s it was Diego Maradona and currently everyone would say it is Lionel Messi.