NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently shared his thoughts on the intense cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan, emphasising India’s remarkable record against their arch-rivals in international competitions. Modi’s comments came during his appearance on the Lex Fridman podcast, where he touched upon various aspects of sports and their unifying power.
Reflecting on the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, Modi emphasised the power of sports to connect people.
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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,” said the Prime Minister.
When asked about determining the best team or players, Modi maintained a humble stance, acknowledging his lack of technical expertise but pointing out that results often speak for themselves.
“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. 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,” he remarked.
During the podcast, Modi was also asked about the greatest football players of all time. He acknowledged the rise of football culture in India and paid tribute to two Argentine legends.
“It is absolutely true that many regions in India have a strong football culture. Our women’s football team is performing really well, and our men’s team is progressing really well. If we talk about the past, in the 1980s, one name that always stood out was Diego Maradona. For that generation, he was seen as a true hero and if you ask today’s generation, they’ll immediately say Lionel Messi,” he added.
