Mumbai: In a rare crossover moment for global sport, ICC Chairman Jay Shah met football icon Lionel Messi during his ongoing India Tour in New Delhi, marking a symbolic meeting of two of the world’s most followed sporting cultures.
Shah felicitated Messi with the Team India jersey, a signed bat, and presented him the first official ticket to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, an edition to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The first ticket to the much-anticipated 10th edition of the tournament going to a global icon like Messi, testifies a vision rooted in Mr. Shah’s leadership to enhance cricket’s global reach. The gesture also underscores cricket’s growing confidence in engaging beyond traditional boundaries.
The moment drew a thunderous response from the crowd, with chants for both Messi and Jay Shah echoing across the venue. The reception reflected not just Messi’s universal appeal, but also the stature India and its cricket leadership now command on the global sporting stage.
