Narendra Modi highlighted Indian-origin cricketers representing other countries in the T20 World Cup during the 131st episode of Mann Ki Baat on 22 February 2026. His remarks focused on players’ connections with India and their contributions to the national teams they represented.
Which teams and players did he mention?
The official transcript names Canada, the United States and Oman, and also refers to Indian-origin players in New Zealand, the UAE and Italy.
- Canada: he mentioned Dilpreet Bajwa and Navneet Dhaliwal, among others.
- United States: he discussed Monank Patel’s experience in Gujarat’s age-group cricket and referred to other players with Indian cricket connections.
- Oman: he highlighted Jatinder Singh and other players who had previously played in India.
What was the message?
Modi described these cricketers as sources of pride and inspiration while acknowledging that they represented their respective countries wholeheartedly. The remarks concerned sporting and cultural connections; they were not an announcement of player transfers or changes to national eligibility rules.
Read the original remarks
The official Prime Minister’s Office transcript provides the full address. This page summarises its cricket section rather than reproducing the speech.
Related coverage
For a separate tournament development, read the Bangladesh T20 World Cup venue-dispute timeline. Our Bangladesh vs India cricket history covers selected on-field meetings.
