Mitchell Marsh of Australia was booked for defacing the World Cup trophy.

Australian cricketer Mitchell Marsh finds himself embroiled in controversy following a FIR filed against him in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, in what may be an odd post-World Cup 2023 process. The right-handed batter was spotted drinking beer at the team hotel in Ahmedabad and resting his legs on the World Cup trophy.

RTI activist Pandit Keshav submitted the complaint, claiming that Mitchell Marsh act of disdaining the World Cup trophy profoundly insulted supporters of the Indian cricket team.

The event happened after Australia defeated India in the World Cup 2023 final by six wickets. India lost heartbreakingly in their only match of the competition—the finals—despite playing flawlessly the whole tournament. The defeat devastated both players and spectators, especially in the final game where Indian captain Rohit Sharma and his team were unable to prevail.

Though the World Cup trophy is in no way the exclusive property of India, Pandit Keshav moved quickly as an RTI activist to file an official complaint against Marsh. By sending Prime Minister Narendra Modi a copy of the complaint and demanding severe action against the Australian cricket player, he inflamed the situation. Keshav’s appeal went so far as to suggest that Mitchell Marsh not be allowed to play cricket in India due to supposed disrespect for the World Cup trophy.

Indian supporters express their fury towards the families of Australian athletes

This incident added an unanticipated degree of tension to the post-World Cup narrative by drawing focus away from on-field competitiveness and onto off-field disputes about respect and sportsmanship. Disappointed cricket fans are still quite emotional as they wait for answers from the government and cricket authorities over this strange incident.

The Men in Blue enjoyed a fantastic run earlier in the season, reaching the championship game after 10 straight wins. But against the powerful Australians in the grand final, their campaign encountered a setback. Australia was commended for defeating India in the final match. Unfortunately, some people posted offensive remarks, including threats of violence, on social media posts featuring Australian athletes and their families.