Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a fun banter with Team India's leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal during his meeting with the Men in Blue after their T20 World Cup 2024 triumph at his official residence, 7 Lok Jan Marg on Thursday, July 4.
Team India landed in Delhi after a long flight journey from Barbados, where they were stranded for three days due to Hurricane Beryl. After touching down in Delhi, the T20 World Cup 2024 winners headed to the ITC Maurya Hotel and took some rest before leaving to meet PM Narendra Modi.
Narendra Modi interacted with the players, who shared their experiences of playing in the tournament. During the interaction, Modi and the Men in Blue shared a light-hearted moments where they were laughing and joking. In a video, Modi observed Yuzvendra Chahal in a bit serious mood and asked him, "Chahal kyun serious hai?" and then other Indian players burst into laughter.
Modi further said, "Haryana ka koi bhi waqti ho, voh har cheez mein khush rehta hai (A person from Haryana is always happy in everything.)"
Though Yuzvendra Chahal was part of India's 15-member squad in the recently concluded edition of the T20 World Cup, didn't get a single match to play as team management went with Kuldeep Yadav as a specialist spinner in the playing XI. Chahal is yet to make a debut in the T20 World Cup despite he was part of two previous editions of the tournament in 2021 and 2022.
Chahal is currently the leading wicket-taker for Team India in T20Is, scalping 96 wickets, including 2 four-wicket hauls and a fifter, at an average of 25.09 and an economy rate of 7.65 in 80 matches.
Additionally, Chahal is among the highest wicket-taker among the Indian bowlers in T20 cricket, with 354 wickets, including 9 four-wicket hauls and two fifers, at an average of 23.75 and an economy rate of 7.70 in 305 matches.
Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal has been rested from the T20I series against ZImbabwe and is expected to return to action for the Sri Lanka tour, including three T20Is and as many ODIs.
