British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian PM Anthony Albanese engaged in a playful exchange during their meeting at the NATO summit in Lithuania. The conversation revolved around the ongoing Ashes series, adding a lighthearted touch to the diplomatic encounter.
In the midst of a week-long dispute between England and Australia over a controversial crease stumping incident, the two politicians found a moment of camaraderie. A viral video captured Albanese revealing a paper with the scoreline of 2-1 in favor of Australia, to which Sunak responded by showing a picture of England batsmen Mark Woods and Chris Woakes celebrating their recent Test match victory at Headingley.
Not to be outdone, Albanese then presented a photo of England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow being stumped in the previous match at Lord’s, which drew a humorous remark from Sunak about the infamous ‘Sandpaper Gate’. This friendly banter continued from their previous exchange during the Lord’s match earlier in the month.
Meanwhile, Sunak took the opportunity to remind everyone about the upcoming matches, stating “two more to go”.
The Bairstow stumping incident at Lord’s caused controversy, with Sunak criticizing it as against the spirit of the game. He stated that he would not want to win a game in the manner Australia did. Sunak’s sentiments aligned with those of Ben Stokes, who also expressed his disagreement with the dismissal.
Albanese later took to Twitter to express his pride in both the Australian men’s and women’s cricket teams for winning their opening two Ashes matches against England. He also playfully advised Sunak to stay out of the crease.
Despite the historical tensions surrounding the Ashes rivalry, the encounter between Sunak and Albanese was described as amicable by a government source quoted in the UK’s Daily Mail.
The ongoing Ashes series has been marked by tensions and historical controversies, including the 2018 ‘sandpaper gate’ scandal involving Australian players Steve Smith and David Warner. English fans have consistently expressed their disapproval towards Smith and Warner, referencing their involvement in the scandal. Chants mocking Smith have been heard throughout the series.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
