India pacer Mohammad Shami returned home in Amroha, UP after the end of the ICC World Cup 2023. The Men in Blue were defeated by Australia in the final match which was played in Ahmedabad by 6 wickets.
Post the win in the final, a photo of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh went viral on social media where he could be seen putting his feet on the Cricket World Cup trophy. The action was criticised heavily on social media with many users suggesting that Marsh disrespected the trophy and the game with this gesture.
Mohammad Shami spoke about the gesture of Marsh and said that he was not happy with what Marsh did.
"I am hurt. The trophy for which all the teams in the world fight, the trophy which you want to lift over your head, keeping a foot on that trophy did not make me happy," Mohammad Shami told reporters on Thursday.
Shami ended the World Cup 2023 campaign as the top wicket-taker, with 24 scalps in just 7 matches. He bagged a total of three 5-wicket hauls and a 4-for in the campaign.
As the Indian team members were in the dressing room post the presentation ceremony amidst gloom and sadness, Indian PM Narendra Modi paid a visit to console the Men in Blue. He could be seen talking to Ravindra Jadeja and gave a hug to Mohammad Shami as well.
He was then seen holding hands with both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli talking to both of them.
"Such gestures are important (PM Modi meeting players). When the Prime Minister encourages you after that, it gives you confidence. Because your morale is already down. It is something really different," said Shami to the media in Amroha.
Regarding India's defeat in the title clash, Shami conceded that Team India was not deficient in skills or confidence. He emphasized that it simply wasn't their day.
CWC 2023: "When you play for the country, you forget everything"- Mohammad Shami
"Overall we all performed really well. There was no shortage of skill and confidence. I feel sometimes as a team, we can all have that one bad day, which can come anytime. That day did not belong to us. We lacked in execution, and runs, but there was not anything due to which our morale and confidence was down," said Shami.
