ICC Chairman Jay Shah Gifts T20 World Cup Match Ticket to Lionel Messi During India Visit

In a notable cross-sport moment, International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah gifted football icon Lionel Messi a match ticket during the Argentine star’s visit to India as part of the GOAT India Tour 2025.

The gesture took place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, where Messi attended the final leg of his India tour. Jay Shah presented Messi with a ticket to India’s opening match against the USA in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, symbolising the growing global connection between cricket and football.

Along with the match ticket, Shah also gifted Messi a Team India jersey and a signed cricket bat, making the exchange a memorable highlight of the evening. The moment was warmly received by fans of both sports and quickly gained traction on social media.

Jay Shah, who took charge as ICC Chairman in December 2024, has been actively promoting cricket’s global reach. The interaction with Messi — one of the most celebrated athletes in world sport — was seen as a strategic and symbolic move highlighting cricket’s expanding international appeal, especially in football-dominated regions.

Messi’s India visit has drawn massive attention across cities including Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi, generating excitement beyond football circles. The exchange with the ICC chief added another high-profile moment to the tour.

The meeting underlined how major global sporting bodies are increasingly finding common ground, using star power to build cultural and sporting bridges across disciplines.