Mitch Marsh cops fresh dig from rival over World Cup trophy scandal
The Australian World Cup winner has been slammed for his celebrations.
Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has taken aim at Mitch Marsh after a photo of him putting his feet on the World Cup trophy emerged amid Australia's celebrations. Marsh caused a storm in his celebrations having been pictured with his feet on top of the Cricket World Cup trophy in the dressing room after the final.
The cricket world hit out at Marsh with fans labelling the photo "disrespectful" and "shameful". One person even wrote: “ICC must take action against Marsh.” India is a diehard cricket-loving country and players and fans were hurting having lost the World Cup final on home soil.
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And Shami has now weighed-in on the drama. The fast-bowler was the leading wicket-taker of the World Cup and admitted the photo made him angry having seen it in the aftermath.
“I am hurt,” he told reporters on Friday. “The trophy for which all the teams in the world fight, the trophy which you want to lift over your head, keeping a foot on that trophy did not make me happy.” Marsh has not responded to the controversy, but did speak to the media upon arriving back in Australia.
Marsh and a number of the World Cup winning team returned home instead of staying on for a much-maligned T20 series starting against the host's only five days after the final. Indian cricket fans have taken the loss hard, which has resulted in some backlash for the Aussie players.
As well as lashing out over the seemingly innocent actions of Marsh, fans have also targeted the wives and girlfriends of the Aussie players on social media. Glenn Maxwell's wife Vini, who is of Indian descent, wrote on Instagram on Monday night: "Cue all the hateful, vile DMs (direct messages). Stay classy.
"Can't believe this needs to be said but you can be Indian and also support the country of your birth where you have been raised and more importantly the team your husband and father of your child plays in. Take a chill pill and direct that outrage towards more important world issues."
Mitchell Marsh celebrates World Cup win with his father
Marsh was Australia's third-highest run scorer at the World Cup hitting 441 runs at an average of 49. The allrounder's father Geoff, who won a World Cup of his own in 1987, was in the dressing rooms after the final to celebrate with his son.
“Pure elation. I said to a few of the boys just earlier, it’s been the hardest eight weeks of cricket I’ve ever been a part of,” Marsh said. “We were 0-2 (after two matches), and Sri Lanka were none for 0-120 (in Australia’s third game), so that feels like a lifetime ago. To be here with this group (as champions), it’s unbelievable.”
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