In the wake of India’s historic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 victory, political controversy erupted over a temple visit by team members holding the trophy, with Trinamool Congress MP and former cricketer Kirti Azad publicly criticising the gesture.
Azad’s post on X questioned why the trophy was taken to a Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad after the win, arguing that the national team represents all Indians regardless of religion and suggesting it should have been taken to a mosque, church or gurdwara instead. He described the temple visit as inappropriate and said the trophy belongs to all 1.4 billion Indians, not one faith group.
Taking this debate further, Congress MP Tariq Anwar backed Azad’s concerns, stating he “absolutely agrees” with the criticism. Anwar emphasised that it has never been India’s tradition to take national sporting trophies to a specific religious site, stressing the importance of maintaining secular values in public celebrations.
The issue has sparked discussion across social media and political circles, balancing respect for individual expressions of faith with the secular ethos of representing a diverse nation. Fans and commentators remain divided, with some defending the temple visit as a personal act of gratitude and others echoing calls for greater sensitivity in national sporting celebrations. Added tensions come amid India’s record‑setting third T20 World Cup win, which turned celebrations into a broader conversation on sport, religion and national identity.
