Newz Desk, Durgapur: A fresh controversy has erupted over the way India’s victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is being celebrated. Kirti Azad, former international cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP from Bardhaman–Durgapur, has criticised the decision to take the World Cup trophy to a temple soon after the final.
Azad, who was part of India’s historic 1983 Cricket World Cup–winning team led by Kapil Dev, expressed strong resentment in a social media post, accusing officials of bringing religion into the sport.
Taking aim at Jay Shah, chairman of the International Cricket Council, and Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, Azad alleged that cricket was being “saffronised”.
In a strongly worded post, Azad wrote:
“SHAME ON TEAM INDIA!
When we won the World Cup under Kapil Dev in 1983, we had Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian in the team.
We brought the trophy to our religious birthplace – our motherland India.
Why is the Indian cricket trophy being dragged to a temple?
Why not a mosque, church or gurudwara?
The trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians of every faith – not one religion’s victory lap.”
The remarks triggered intense reactions on social media, with users sharply divided. While some supported Azad’s stand and argued that national sporting victories should remain secular celebrations, others defended the visit to the temple as a personal gesture of faith by members of the team.
The controversy stems from events that unfolded just hours after India clinched the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title on Sunday night in Ahmedabad. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and Jay Shah visited the Hanuman Tekri Temple in the city with the trophy and offered prayers to Lord Hanuman.
India had earlier sealed a dominant victory over New Zealand national cricket team, defeating them by 96 runs in the final to lift the trophy.
Azad’s comments have now added a political dimension to the celebrations, fuelling debate over the intersection of religion and sports in India.
