NEW DELHI: Cricket´s world governing body apologised Wednesday afterleaving a sarcastic remark on a video showing Prime Minister Narendra Modisharing a stage with an Indian guru convicted of raping a teenage girl.

The International Cricket Council went into damage control after itsTwitter account posted the Hindu prayer “Narayan, Narayan” (Oh Lord, OhLord) beneath a video of Modi standing with Asaram Bapu.

Asaram, one of India´s self-styled spiritual gurus who commands a followingof millions, was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for raping ateenage devotee in 2013.

Images of Modi and the controversial spiritual leader have resurfaced sinceAsaram´s conviction.

Photos of the pair distributed by the main opposition Congress party havedrawn angry outbursts from the prime minister´s ruling Bharatiya JanataParty.

The ICC post was quickly deleted and a hasty mea culpa issued from thecricket body.

“ICC is dismayed at a non-cricket related tweet appearing on its Twitterfeed earlier today,” the sport´s governing body wrote on its officialTwitter handle.

“We would like to extend our sincere apologies to anyone who was offendedduring the short space of time it was up. We have launched an investigationinto how this happened.”

But the gaffe was detected by some of the ICC´s eight million Twitterfollowers, who took umbrage with sporting body wading into the controversy.

“ICC Trolling Modi and Asaram. How Anti National is this ICC,” wrote oneTwitter user.

Another, Piyush Kulshreshtha, posted: “This is scandalous. ICC has to beshaken.”

Asaram, 77, who leads hundreds of ashrams in India and overseas, wasconvicted for life for raping a girl on the pretext of ridding her of evilspirits.

His website boasts of many high-profile believers and admirers, includingModi and previous prime ministers. – APP /AFP