Nirmala Sitharaman meets Mohammed Siraj after India's World Cup final loss

Nirmala Sitharaman with Mohammed Siraj at Hyderabad airport. (Image credit: Twitter/Nirmala Sitharaman).

Nearly 48 hours after suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, several Indian cricketers made their way back to their hometowns for a much needed break, following a rigorous schedule that saw them travel the length and breadth of the country to face the best teams in the world.

Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who was seen weeping after India's loss on Sunday, returned to Hyderabad after the defeat where he was congratulated by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the airport.

Smt @nsitharaman met Indian cricketer Shri Mohammed Siraj (@mdsirajofficial) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad and congratulated him for the team's stellar performance at the just concluded #CWC23.

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The Hon'ble Finance Minister noted that the entire team… pic.twitter.com/agd9dstddD

— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) November 20, 2023

"Such nice gestures will cheer up sports person from inside and take him to great levels of grit and determination to outperform," one user wrote.

"Our nation is proud of such leadership. We salute @nsitharaman ji madam who extended her courtesy by meeting Md.Siraj one the best bowlers in Team India," another user wrote.

Siraj took 14 wickets in 11 matches at the tournament at an economy rate of 5.68 and was part of a formidable new ball attack that ran through oppositions right through the group stages of the tournament.

Also read: PM Modi inside Team India dressing room: 'You have worked very hard'. Watch