1. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma links India’s Cricket World Cup loss to the match being scheduled on Indira Gandhi’s birthday.
2. Sarma’s unusual perspective surfaced during a public gathering in Telangana on November 22.
3. The Chief Minister takes a dig at Congress, proposing that BCCI avoids organizing matches on Gandhi family members’ birthdays.
Guwahati, Nov 23: In a rather unusual twist to India’s Cricket World Cup loss against Australia, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attributed the defeat to the scheduling of the match on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s birthday.
Speaking at a public gathering in Telangana on November 22, Sarma took a dig at the Congress and suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should refrain from organizing matches on the birthdays of members of the Gandhi family.
BCCI से मेरा एक अनुरोध हैं…
कृपया भारत को उस दिन खेलना नहीं चाहिए जिस दिन गांधी परिवार के सदस्यों का जन्मदिन हैं । यह मैंने वर्ल्ड कप फाइनल से सीखा हैं । #TelanganaWithBJP@BJP4Telangana pic.twitter.com/w46gXykUJ4
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 22, 2023
The Chief Minister’s comments added a new dimension to the ongoing political controversy surrounding India’s performance in the World Cup. Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had stirred the pot by alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence at the final match was the reason behind India’s defeat. This accusation prompted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to file a complaint with the Election Commission.
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The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final, held on February 19, witnessed Australia emerging victorious over India by six wickets. The match, which has become the center of political discourse, is now being linked not only to the presence of Prime Minister Modi but also to the coincidental scheduling of Indira Gandhi’s birthday, according to Sarma’s unique perspective.
While cricket enthusiasts and analysts typically focus on the players’ performance, strategies, and other cricketing factors, the political landscape seems to be introducing new narratives to explain the outcome.
Sarma’s suggestion that avoiding matches on certain birthdays could impact results adds an unconventional twist to the discussions surrounding India’s World Cup loss. It reflects the extent to which political figures are willing to intertwine sports events with their narratives.
As the political and cricketing spheres continue to overlap, it remains to be seen how the public and the cricketing community will receive these unconventional explanations.
