Indian PM Modi just compared last night’s final to Operation Sindoor and the internet is confused. Following the India–Pakistan final, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian team with the remark: “Operation Sindoor on the games field. The outcome is the same – India wins.”
The statement drew criticism for linking cricket to politics, coming after India declined to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi. “The victims of the horrific Palagham Attack deserve better than the Prime Minister comparing cricket victory to military escalation that followed the terror strike,” said one X user. “Not to forget, the civilian casualties across the LOC during Operation Sindoor. Who is running this account?” 
One user deemed his statement as ‘tone deaf’ while another criticised him for bringing politics into the gentleman’s game. “Congratulations to India for winning the Asia Cup but they have created some terrible precedences and tainted the gentleman’s ’s game for the sake of some arbitrary political face saving,” they wrote. “Watch them cry sportsmen spirit when it inevidently comes to bite them. No respect for the game.”
The backlash also built on earlier tensions, as Indian players have avoided shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts throughout the season.“It was your measure of pride, history already records your humiliating defeats at Pakistan’s hands,” read another tweet. “No cricket match can rewrite that truth. Dragging war into sports only exposes desperation and disgraces the very spirit of the game.”
Some were left in disbelief that the Prime Minister could write that. “I even cross-checked thinking it’s a parody account, but it’s an official handle,” wrote an X user. “It just shows how low one can stoop. Shame!”
