Who said that cricket is only for entertainment and not political relations? The victory of the Indian team in the World Cup has had a great impact on the relations between India and Maldives, which were affected a few months ago. The Ministry of Tourism of Maldives has invited the Indian team to celebrate their victory in the T20 World Cup on its soil.
Notably, India-Maldives relations took a hit when a Maldivian politician mocked a post by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. This did not go down well with the Indian government, which raised the matter with Maldivian diplomats.
The issue reached such a point that Indians boycotted their trips to Maldives, including celebrities and ordinary citizens. The boycott of Maldives by Indians became a popular trend on Twitter and social media.
The Maldives also suffered a lot of damage later on, as its tourism was affected. It should be noted that it is an island country and one of India’s neighbors in the south of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In addition, the Indian Government decided to develop its own Andaman and Nicobar Islands to promote tourism and help people find an alternative to the Maldives in the future.
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Maldives invites Indian team to celebrate T20I World Cup victory
However, it seems that Indian cricket might help mend the broken bond between both countries in the tourism department. Recently, the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) and the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) invited the Indian cricket team to visit Maldives after winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
“The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/Visit Maldives), in collaboration with the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), have jointly extended a special and open invitation to the Indian National Cricket Team,” read a statement from the duo.
“It would be an honour for us to host them and ensure that their stay is filled with memorable moments, relaxation and personalised experiences. It would be an immense honour for the Maldives to host the Indian cricket team and share the joy of their triumph,” a Maldives tourism spokesperson told PTI.
“We look forward to hosting them and providing the perfect setting for them to create lasting memories of their victory celebration,” he added.
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Team India received a grand welcome at home after winning the World Cup
Meanwhile, the Indian team clinched their second T20I World Cup title in the West Indies by defeating South Africa in the final on June 29.
Due to weather issues, the Rohit Sharma & Co was stranded on the Caribbean island for a few days and reached India early on Thursday morning.
Upon their arrival, they received a grand welcome in Delhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed them. Later, Rohit Sharma and his boys took out a victory parade at Marine Drive in Mumbai where hundreds of thousands of fans thronged the streets.
Team India will now travel to Sri Lanka for an ODI and T20I series starting from July 27. The Indian players participating in the T20 World Cup are currently on a break and hence could take up the Maldives offer. Notably, a second-string team under Shubman Gill is busy with a five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe.
