In a veiled attack against the BJP leadership, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said Team India won all the matches in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2023, "except the one attended by the sinners."
The TMC chief further said India would have won the World Cup if the final match was played in Kolkata or Mumbai.
In the summit clash against Australia, Rohit-Sharma led India suffered a six-wicket defeat at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. The home side had reached the final as the only undefeated team in the tournament but failed to replicate the form against the Australians on November 19, Sunday, as the Australians managed a convincing victory to lift a record-extending sixth world title.
Mamata Banerjee's scathing attack came after a star-studded VIP box including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah witnessed India being humbled by the Australians led by Pat Cummins.
Addressing party workers at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium, the chief minister said wherever sinners go, they take along their sins.
"The Indian team played so well that they won all the matches in the World Cup, except the one attended by the sinners," news agency PTI quoted the TMC leader as saying, without naming anyone.
According to Mamata Banerjee, the attempts to "saffronise" every sphere of India is going on actively. There was an effort to even change the iconic blue jersey of the Indian cricket team, she reportedly alleged.
"They are trying to paint the entire country saffron. We are proud of our Indian players, and I believe that we would have won the World Cup if the finals had taken place in Kolkata or Wankhede (in Mumbai)," PTI quoted her as saying.
If not for the resistance by the players, Team India would have been given saffron jerseys. "They even tried to saffronise the team by introducing saffron practice jerseys. The players resisted, and as a result, they did not have to wear those jerseys during the matches," she reportedly added.
