No, Indian PM didn’t refuse to pose with Pat Cummins after presenting World Cup trophy

By: Umme Kulsum
November 22 2023

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Screenshots of the false claims made online. (Source: X/Facebook/Screenshots/Modified by Logically Facts)

What's the claim?

In the aftermath of Australia winning the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 on November 19, several social media users have shared footage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, presenting the trophy to Australian captain Pat Cummins. 

Many users have shared the clip with the claim that PM Modi avoided a customary handshake or greeting while meeting Cummins and refused to take a photo with the Australian skipper. One iteration of the clip shared on X (formerly Twitter) carried the caption, "Please wake up, Australia win not Pakistan, Indian PM Narendra Modi showed shameful behavior when he refused to click a photo with World Cup winning Australian captain (sic)." The post was viewed more than 38,000 times at the time of publishing. An archived version of the post can be viewed here.

The video clip is also viral with the same narrative on other social media platforms, including Facebook. One post on Facebook amassed over 7,000 likes and about 1,700 shares.

Screenshot of claims made online. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the viral clip is a cropped version shared with false claims. In reality, PM Modi shook Cummins' hand and posed for photos after handing the trophy to the Australian captain.

What did we find?

Logically Facts found footage of the presentation ceremony uploaded on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar, which streamed the World Cup live. In the video titled 'Replay, Final: IND vs AUS', around the 10:15:30 timestamp, PM Modi shakes hands with and greets Cummins ahead of the trophy presentation. Cummins then greets and shakes hands with Richard Marles. The two leaders then hand over the trophy to the Australian skipper and pose for photographs. The footage also shows Modi patting Cummins on his back and shaking hands with him again. Modi and Marles then walk off stage and greet the rest of the team while Cummins waits on stage with the cup, a scene captured in the viral clip. 

While Cummins was left on stage alone for a few moments, making for an awkward sight, as noted in this news report by news.com.au, Modi had shaken the cricketer's hand and posed for a photo with him. 

Image hosting website Getty Images also uploaded images of Modi presenting the award to Cummins and shaking hands with the Australian captain after the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Images showing PM greeting Australian caption Pat Cummins. (Source: Getty Images)

News agency ANI also posted several photos of the presentation ceremony. In one image, Cummins and Modi can be seen shaking hands. 

Screenshot of an ANI image showing Pat Cummins and Prime Minister Modi shaking hands. (Source: X/@ANI)

Modi also congratulated Australia on his official X account for their World Cup victory. The prime minister wrote, "Congratulations to Australia on a magnificent World Cup victory! Theirs was a commendable performance through the tournament, culminating in a splendid triumph. Compliments to Travis Head for his remarkable game today."

The verdict

The viral video of Narendra Modi walking off stage after handing over the ICC World Cup trophy to the Cummins has been cropped and shared to spread the false narrative that the Indian prime minister ignored the Australian skipper and did not greet him or pose for photographs with him after India lost the tournament. We have, therefore, marked this claim as false.