Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently shared his thoughts on the iconic India-Pakistan cricket rivalry in a podcast with American researcher Lex Fridman. He also emphasised the role of sports in bridging divides and uniting people across borders.

The prime minister was asked about the longstanding rivalry between India and Pakistan, particularly in terms of which country has the stronger cricket team. Fridman also raised the question of how sports, especially cricket and football, can play a role in easing geopolitical tensions.

PM Modi underscored the unifying power of sports, highlighting that it goes beyond mere competition and plays a crucial role in connecting people across nations.

“I think sports have the power to energize the entire world. The spirit of sports brings people together from different nations. That’s why I would never want to see sports being discredited. I truly believe that sports play a major role in human evolution. They’re not just games; they connect people on a deeper level,” he said.

“Now, coming to the question of who’s better and who’s not, when it comes to techniques in sports, I’m not an expert. Only those who specialize in the technical aspects can judge which techniques are superior and who the best players really are. But sometimes, the results speak for themselves,” the PM added.

“Just a few days ago, India and Pakistan played a match. The result reveals which is the better team. That’s how we know,” the PM stressed.

The prime minister was referring to the recently concluded Champions Trophy clash between India and Pakistan in Dubai, where India comfortably defeated their arch-rivals by six wickets.

India has overwhelmingly dominated Pakistan in ICC World Cups, winning 14 out of 15 encounters, with Pakistan securing only one victory in a T20 World Cup match. India also leads 8-0 in ODI World Cups.