South Africa tour of India 2019
Prakash Raj Condemns ‘Disgusting’ Post Linking Smriti Mandhana’s WPL Win to Religion
Actor and filmmaker Prakash Raj has strongly criticised a social media post that attempted to link Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Smriti Mandhana’s Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 victory to religion. The post surfaced soon after RCB defeated Delhi Capitals by six wickets to clinch their second WPL title.
The controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that Mandhana’s success was due to the blessings of Tirupati Balaji, while suggesting that religion did not favour Delhi Capitals captain Jemimah Rodrigues. The remark drew sharp criticism for dragging religious comparisons into a sporting achievement.
Reacting to the post, Prakash Raj called it “disgusting” and said it reflected a deeply “rotten mindset.” “Only a disgusting, rotten mind can think like this. Is this where we have come to?” he wrote on X, condemning the attempt to communalise a sporting moment.
The WPL 2026 final was held at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Kotambi. After winning the toss, RCB chose to bowl first. Delhi Capitals put up a challenging total of 203 runs, but RCB chased it down successfully in 19.4 overs. Smriti Mandhana’s blistering knock of 87 off 41 balls earned her the Player of the Match award, while Sophie Devine was named Player of the Tournament.
Following the victory, Mandhana shared celebratory photos on Instagram with the caption, “Ee sala kuda cup namdu.” Actress Anushka Sharma reacted enthusiastically, calling Mandhana a “Queen.” Despite the loss, Jemimah Rodrigues expressed pride in her team’s performance. The incident once again highlighted concerns over unnecessary religious commentary overshadowing sporting excellence.
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