Jay Shah features eleven times in ICC’s 45-second WTC final video; Journalists, fans react
New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is facing criticism over a recent 45-second video celebrating South Africa’s World Test Championship (WTC) final victory over Australia at Lord’s for prominently featuring ICC chairman Jay Shah multiple times.
The video, shared on ICC’s official X account, was intended to mark South Africa’s historic victory. However, the montage included Jay Shah in at least 11 different frames, drawing widespread reactions across social media.
The clip opens with a wide-angle view of the Lord’s balcony, with Shah appearing as early as the second cut. Critics argued the video placed disproportionate focus on the ICC chairman rather than the players or key moments of the match.
“Hey @grok, how many runs and wickets did Jay Shah get in the WTC?” a journalist commented while sharing the video. Another wrote, “Didn’t realise the ICC final was Jay Shah vs Jay Shah. This video montage looks like it’s been compiled by the Jay Shah appreciation society (which has one member).”
Fans also chimed in. “Who said India didn’t play the final?” one user joked, while another remarked, “Blink and you’ll miss Pat Cummins. Jay Shah, on the other hand…” Cartoonist Satish Acharya, known for the sharp political commentary, wrote, “It’s funny how the ICC added more glimpses of Jay Shah than of the WTC-winning captain, Temba Bavuma.”
Following the backlash, the ICC reportedly deleted the original post and re-uploaded the same video — a move seen by many as an attempt to minimise visible negative comments.
“After the backslash against Jay Shah, the ICC deleted the previous tweet to get rid of negative tweets/comments against him and reshared the exact same video again,” wrote Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking website AltNews, on X.
Meanwhile, South Africa defeated Australia in the WTC final to break their long-standing “chokers” tag. Led by Temba Bavuma, the team clinched their first ICC title in over two decades, marking a milestone moment in the nation’s cricketing history.
hey @grok how many runs and wickets did Jay Shah get in the WTC? https://t.co/K2idUQ1aHu
— Andrew Fidel Fernando (@afidelf) June 16, 2025
Did you see the ICC video??
— Paul Dennett (@PaulDennett_) June 16, 2025
Meant to be celebrating the WTC final - but instead has 11 shots of Jay Shah in it.
It’s so weird! It’s hilarious! #WTC2025 pic.twitter.com/W0baOiZXdJ
It's funny how ICC added more glimpses of Jay Shah than the WTC winning skipper Bavuma in this video! 🥴https://t.co/aY4tHmffqN
— Satish Acharya (@satishacharya) June 17, 2025
After the backslash against Jay Shah, @ICC deleted the previous tweet to get rid of negative tweets/comments against him and reshared the exact same video again. 🤡 https://t.co/PQAd7fLdEd
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) June 17, 2025
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
