England Cricket Board apologises for joking about Pope's 'Ashes' post

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has apologised for a social media post that joked about Pope Francis' Ash Wednesday message by linking it to the Ashes cricket series.

The post was shared on the England Cricket team’s official social media account after Pope Francis, who is critically ill, delivered a message on Lent.

Pope wrote, "The #Ashes remind us of who we are, which does us good. It puts us in our place, smooths out the rough edges of our narcissism, brings us back to reality, and makes us more humble and open to one another. None of us is God; we are all on a journey. #Lent."

The @englandcricket account then reposted it with the caption: "Even @Pontifex loves the Ashes." 

However, the joke was not well received, and the ECB deleted it a few minutes after posting.

A spokesperson for the ECB later said, "This was an ill-judged post and was swiftly deleted. We apologize for any offence."

Pope Francis, 88, has been in a hospital in Rome for more than two weeks, battling double pneumonia. His condition worsened on Monday when he suffered two serious breathing issues, prompting doctors to remove mucus from his lungs.

The Vatican confirmed that the Pope was placed back on a breathing machine but remains awake and cooperative with doctors.

Despite efforts to recover, he has not been seen in public since being admitted to the hospital on February 14, fueling speculation about whether he might resign or if his condition is deteriorating.

What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is a Christian holy day marking the start of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter. On this day, many Christians receive a cross made of ashes on their foreheads as a symbol of repentance and reflection.