ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Pakistan fan taunts Team India, video goes viral
What’s the story?
In the aftermath of the high voltage contest between India and Pakistan in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy, a video has now emerged on social media that depicts a Pakistani fan visibly taunting the Indian players as they return to the dressing room after the post-match presentation.
Mohammad Shami, who was a part of the Indian squad, is riled up by the Pakistan supporter. The fan taunts, teases and tests the patience of the crestfallen members of the Indian cricket team. While everyone else walks past the fan, Shami stops and hands him a fast bowler’s stare.
You can watch the video here:
The context
The Indian team had just lost by a huge 180-run margin to their arch-rivals. The players probably were reeling from the defeat and the taunting words definitely would’ve fired their temper.
A lot of memes were shared in and around various social media platforms before the match, especially those indicating to it being scheduled on Father’s Day.
The details
The fan targeted the Indian players as they passed his seat, calling out to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli.
“Tut gaya hai Kohli ji, tut gaya hai. Baap kaun hai? Kaun hai baap?” the fan kept asking. Shami stopped in his tracks to give the man a death glare, and then came up to him to give the guy a piece of his own medicine.
However, MS Dhoni intervened and ushered Shami to go right in. When the security personnel question the Pakistan fan about his antics, he said, “What did I say? It’s sledging man, they should have the patience for that. We accept it when they say it. But when we say that, why can’t they (do the same)? I didn’t swear at him. Rone ki aadat hai inki.”
What next?
Social media has erupted on the back of this video having surfaced. And needless to say, the fan is receiving a great deal of flack for his attempts to irk the member of the Indian squad.
Author’s take
While a section of the Indian fans has targeted the Pakistan team on social media, the Indian players had no part in any of it. They were busy playing their cricket and trying to win the tournament. Therefore, a direct verbal taunt, such as the one on the video, was totally unwarranted. The match in itself was competitive and played in the spirit of the game. Fans, therefore, ought to applaud both the winners and the vanquished for it is the players that make such spectacles possible. As fans of the sport, it's time now for us to keep our end of the bargain.