The New Zealand cricket team visited the Dalai Lama on Tuesday at his home in McLeod Ganj, a town close to Dharamshala ahead of their game against Australia on Saturday. The Kiwis suffered their first loss in the marquee event against India on Sunday.
They arrived at the palace of the Dalai Lama, the head of Tibetan Buddhism. The group was given a time period between 8:30 and 9:00 for their meeting, as the players took their time for spiritual matters.
Dalai Lama shared a picture of his meeting with the New Zealand team and wrote on X, “HHDL meeting with players and their families of the New Zealand cricket team at his residence in Dharamsala, HP, India on October 24, 2023.”
The Dalai Lama, the public face of the Tibetan exile movement, spent about an hour talking to players and exchanging notes while wearing traditional maroon robes. He also made playful beard tickles and tender cheek or nose pats as signs of his genuine affection for people.
According to reports, the New Zealand team expected to travel to Dharmakot, Naddi, and Bhagasunag. Dharmakot, with its meditation institutes and yoga retreats, offers a spiritual retreat, and Naddi offers stunning views of the Dhauladhar mountain range.
Bhagasunag, famous for its old temple and waterfall, emphasises tranquillity. This was a voyage into the heart of Himachal Pradesh’s culture rather than merely some sightseeing to get themselves in the right frame of mind before going into the business end of the ODI World Cup.
In the previous game, India defeated New Zealand by four wickets. Since 2003, India has not defeated New Zealand in an ICC competition but registered their first victory in 20 years and the Men in Blue leads the World Cup points standings with their fifth victory in as many games.
Mohammed Shami was excellent with the ball, striking early and guiding India’s comeback in the last moments. Virat Kohli once again led India’s pursuit with the bat. Mitchell produced a fantastic century for New Zealand, and Ravindra hit an outstanding 75 before failing in the endeavours of the game.
The Black Caps, who are presently ranked second in the points standings, would like to go past their performance against India to perform well against the five-time champions Australia on Saturday. They would also like to secure their spot in the championship round by winning their remaining games.