Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently appeared on a podcast with renowned computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman, where he discussed a range of topics, including India-Pakistan relations and the role of sports in fostering unity.
During the conversation, Fridman asked who has a better cricket team, India or Pakistan, given their historic rivalry. He also inquired about the role of sports, particularly cricket and football, in easing geopolitical tensions.
In response, Modi emphasised the unifying power of sports, stating that it goes beyond mere competition and plays a crucial role in connecting people across nations.
“I think sports have the power to energise the entire world. The spirit of sports brings people together from across different nations. That’s why I would never want to see sports being discredited. I truly believe that sports play a major role in human evolution. They’re not just games, they connect people on a deeper level,” he said.
However, when it came to the direct comparison between India and Pakistan’s cricket teams, Modi took a diplomatic yet pointed approach. While he refrained from analysing technical aspects, he suggested that recent results speak for themselves.
“Now, coming to the question of who’s better and who’s not, when it comes to techniques in sports, I’m not an expert. Only those who specialise in the technical aspects can judge which techniques are superior and who the best players really are. But sometimes the results speak for themselves. Just a few days ago, India and Pakistan played a match. The result reveals which is the better team. That’s how we know,” he remarked.
India and Pakistan share one of the most intense rivalries in world cricket, with each encounter drawing massive global attention. Modi’s remarks subtly pointed to India’s recent victory over Pakistan, reinforcing the notion that performances on the field ultimately determine which team holds the edge.
Coming to the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy clash, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Pakistan was off to a fine start, with Babar Azam (23 in 26 balls, with five fours) unleashing some fine drives in the 41-run opening partnership. After two quick wickets, Pakistan was 47/2.
Skipper Mohammed Rizwan (46 in 77 balls, with three fours) and Saud Shakeel (62 in 76 balls, with five fours) had a 104-run partnership, but they ate up a lot of deliveries. After the end of this partnership, Khushdil Shah (38 in 39 balls, with two sixes) did put up a fight with Salman Agha (19) and Naseem Shah (14), but they were bundled out for 241 runs in 49.4 overs.
Chasing 242 runs, India lost skipper Rohit Sharma (20 in 15 balls, with three fours and a six) early. Then 69-run stand between Shubman Gill (46 in 52 balls, with seven fours) and Virat Kohli (100* in 111 balls, with seven fours) and a 114-run stand between Virat and Iyer (56 in 67 balls, with five fours and a six) helped India secure an easy four-wicket win with six wickets and 45 balls to spare. (ANI)
