Jersey of another nation, heart of India: PM Modi’s big message on Indian-origin cricketers playing T20 World Cup

During his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, Modi said: " These days, you must be watching the T-20 World Cup matches. And I am very sure that while watching the match, many times your eyes must have been fixed on a particular player. The jersey is that of some other country, but on hearing the name, you feel that the person is from our country. Then a slight joy arises in some corner of the heart."

He said: "Since that player is of Indian origin and he is playing for the country where his family has settled. They step into the field wearing the jerseys of their respective countries and represent that country wholeheartedly. The Canadian team has the highest number of players of Indian origin."

Referring to the Canadian team, Modi said: "Team captain Dilpreet Bajwa was born in Gurdaspur, Punjab. Navneet Dhaliwal is from Chandigarh. This list includes many names like Harsh Thakar and Shreyas Mowa, who are raising the pride of not only Canada… but India as well."

Mentioning other teams like the USA and Oman where Indian players ar eparticipating, Modi said: "The American team has many players who have emerged from Indian domestic cricket. American team captain Monank Patel has also played for Gujarat's under-16 and under-18 teams. Saurabh from Mumbai, Harmeet Singh and Milind Kumar from Delhi are all the pride of the American team. The Oman team today has many players who have previously played for different states of India. Players like Jatinder Singh, Vinayak Shukla, Karan, Jai and Ashish are strong links that bind Oman cricket."

He said Indian-origin players are also getting selected for teams like New Zealand and the UAE.

" There are countless such players of Indian origin who are bringing pride to their respective countries… becoming an inspiration for the youth there. This is the hallmark of Indianness. Wherever Indians go, they remain connected to the roots of their motherland and contribute to the development of their Karambhoomi, the country they live and work in," he said.

The USA, Canada and Oman have failed to reach the Super 8 stage of the tournament.