Tweet a buzz
India maintained their dominance over arch-rivals Pakistan in World Cup history when the Virat Kohli-led team thrashed Pakistan by 89 runs at Old Trafford, Manchester on Sunday. It was for the seventh consecutive time in the history of the showpiece event when the Green Brigade failed to put up a show against the Men in Blue. While everyone saw the rivalry between both teams on the field, the roar of the fans was also loud on microblogging site Twitter. The much anticipated World Cup game broke records by becoming the most tweeted about ODI match, generating 2.9 million tweets.While there was dialogue between both countries on the platform, when compared, official hashtags like #TeamIndia and #WeHaveWeWill as well as the number of tweets mentioning Indian cricketers and Pakistani cricketers, the Indian side dominated the conversation on Twitter.
We are Indians
India vice-captain Rohit Sharma slashing Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali for a six over backward point in their clash at Old Trafford on Sunday had fans revisit the upper-cut played by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar off Shoaib Akhtar in Centurion in 2003. While there have been constant comparison between the two shots and who played it better, Tendulkar shared his take on the same. Taking to Twitter, Tendulkar wrote: “We both are from India and in this case, Aamchi Mumbai as well. So heads I win, tails you lose! (sic)” Earlier, ICC had posed the question for the fans when it tweeted: “Sachin in 2003 or Rohit in 2019 — who did it better?” It was an amazing display of professionalism from the Men in Blue against Pakistan in Manchester. They first scored 336/5 in their 50 overs with Rohit hitting a brilliant 113-ball 140 and the bowlers then tightened the screws on the Pakistan batsmen as the Indians won the game by 89 runs (D/L method).
Don’t get personal
Shoaib Malik, who is drawing flak after Pakistan's embarrassing defeat to India, has lashed out at the country's media for claiming that he and other players were out partying and smoking sheesha hours before the crucial encounter in Manchester. There were questions raised about the Pakistan players' fitness and the apparent flouting of the curfew norms after a series of photos and videos showed certain members of the team allegedly socialising past curfew. "When will Pak media be accountable for their credibility by our courts? Having served my country for +20 years in international cricket, it's sad that I have to clarify things related to my personal life. The videos are from 13th June and not 15th," he tweeted. Sania too took to Twitter to answer potshots being aimed at her post the defeat. She battled Pakistani actress Veena Malik as she denied taking their kid to the Sheesha bar. "Veena, I have not taken my kid to a sheesha place. Not that it's any of your or the rest of the world's business cause I think I care bout my son a lot more than anyone else does. Secondly I am not Pakistan cricket team's dietician nor am I their mother or principal or teacher," she tweeted.
Forget & move on
Sarfaraz Ahmed has warned his teammates of further backlash at home if they fail to lift their game in the remaining matches of the ongoing World Cup. Pakistani cricketers are facing strong criticism from both fans and former players after the 89-run defeat to India in the marquee World Cup clash on Sunday. With just three points from five games, Pakistan are at the second last position in the tournament table and Sarfaraz has cautioned his teammates to be ready for the wrath of the public back home if the below-par performances continue. "If anyone thinks that I will go home, then it is their idiocy. If God forbid something unfortunate happens then I won't be the only one going back home," Pakistani media outlet thenews.Com.Pk, quoted Sarfaraz as saying. The captain has urged the team to forget the loss against the neighbours and move on. "Forget the bad performance and uplift the team for the remaining four matches," said Sarfaraz.
