‘Spirit of sports matters’: Commonwealth sport chief Donald Rukare praises India’s T20 World Cup triumph

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Donald Rukare, President of Commonwealth Sport, praised India for their triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, despite missing the final due to travel disruptions.

Rukare, who is currently visiting India, revealed that logistical challenges prevented him and his delegation from arriving in time for the much-anticipated clash against New Zealand. “We were supposed to have come here a few weeks ago, but unfortunately, we missed the final,” he told IANS.

While expressing disappointment at not witnessing the match live, Rukare congratulated India on their victory, acknowledging the team’s strong performance on the global stage. “We are happy that India won,” he said, adding a touch of humour as he noted that a colleague from New Zealand was less pleased with the result.

Emphasising the values that define international sport, Rukare highlighted the importance of respect and sportsmanship. “In sports, we say ‘may the best team win.’. You shake hands and go back to train,” he remarked, reinforcing the spirit of fair competition.

India’s T20 World Cup victory has been widely celebrated, marking another milestone in the nation’s rich cricketing history. Rukare noted that such tournaments go beyond results, serving as a platform to unite people across countries.

Although his schedule has so far kept him away from the ground, Rukare remains hopeful of catching a cricket match during his stay. His remarks underline both admiration for India’s achievement and the enduring spirit of the game.

India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, becoming the first team to successfully defend their title to win two consecutive titles (2024,2026) and the first tournament hosts to win. Suryakumar Yadav became the fourth Indian captain to win a major ICC event after Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

—IANS

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