Ishan Kishan calmly deflected a question on the controversy surrounding former cricketer Kirti Azad after arriving in Patna following India’s T20 World Cup triumph. The wicketkeeper batsman landed at the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport on Tuesday as part of the celebrations following India’s title campaign.
During a media interaction, a journalist asked Kishan about Azad’s remarks regarding the decision to take the T20 World Cup trophy to the temple after the victory. Azad’s comments sparked debate on social media and among fans.
However, Kishan decided not to join the dispute. Instead, he responded calmly, shifting the focus back to the team’s historic success in the tournament. The left-handed batsman politely invited journalists to ask questions about the World Cup and the team’s journey instead of the ongoing debate.
“I just won such a wonderful World Cup – please ask better questions. What can I say about what Kirti Azad said? Please ask some good questions. Tell me how it felt and how fun it was,” Kishan said.
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar | On India’s ICCT20WorldCup2026 win, Indian cricketer Ishan Kishan says, “It’s a great thing for the whole nation and we hope to play and win in the same way in the future… I’m trying to inspire more players to move forward…”
On the former pic.twitter.com/MfBmqyvMfY— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2026
Azad raised the questions after Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir and Jay Shah visited the Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad with the trophy after the win. He wrote on social media that the FIFA World Cup is a moment of pride for “1.4 billion Indians of every faith”, adding that the sport represents an entire nation rather than any particular religion.
HOW DID KISHAN DO IN T20 WC?
Kishan played an important role in India’s successful campaign in the T20 World Cup, contributed some impressive innings at the top of the order. The left-handed wicketkeeper gave India aggressive starts and was particularly impressive in high-pressure matches during the tournament.
In nine matches, Kishan scored 317 runs at an average of 35.22 and a strike rate of 193.29, scoring three half-centuries during the competition. One of his standout performances came against Pakistan where he scored a brilliant 77 to help India secure a 61-run victory at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Kishan also delivered when it mattered most in the final against New Zealand. Batting confidently, he smashed a quick-fire 54 off just 25 balls, helping India build a massive total in the title race. His explosive batting played a key role in India posting a record 255 for five, the highest total in a Men’s T20 World Cup final.
India eventually beat New Zealand by 96 runs lift the trophy and become the first team to successfully defend the Men’s T20 World Cup title.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
10 March 2026 16:15 IST
