Boycott India-Pakistan Cricket Match? Netizens Express Anger on Twitter ‘X’

In the lead-up to the highly-anticipated India-Pakistan cricket match scheduled for October 14 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a storm of controversy has engulfed social media. On X (formerly known as Twitter), the hashtag #BoycottIndoPakMatch began to trend on Friday, reflecting the sentiments of netizens who were incensed by the warm welcome extended to the Pakistani cricket team in India.

For the unversed, the Pakistan Cricket Team was accorded an exuberant reception upon their arrival in India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. As they touched down in Ahmedabad, the city in Gujarat set to host this epic clash, the team was greeted with open arms. The scenes of this welcome quickly spread across social media, featuring the players being ushered into their hotel amidst the rhythmic beats of dhol drums and spirited garba dance performances by young girls.

The players were even presented with traditional scarves, and this time, the color was distinctively not saffron, in contrast to past practices where saffron scarves were offered during their welcome at a Hyderabad hotel.

Furthermore, flower petals rained down on the players as they entered the hotel, accompanied by music and vibrant garba performances to celebrate their arrival. Videos capturing these warm gestures went viral on various social media platforms. However, these heartwarming scenes were juxtaposed with an outpouring of discontent on X, as a segment of netizens started the hashtag #BoycottIndoPakMatch, drawing comparisons that raised questions about welcoming a team from a nation with whom there has been a history of conflict, including incidents involving military personnel. The controversy rages on, creating a stir ahead of the much-anticipated cricket showdown.

Cricket match is nothing infront of our Soldiers.

Enemies are always enemy.

Shame on BCCI and Jay Shah

Pakistani doesnt deserve this type of welcome.#BoycottIndoPakMatch #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/S3gxZOvH1T

— विवेक शुक्ला (@vivekcool007) October 13, 2023

If @BCCI is actually the richest cricket board in the world then why he cant kick out a bagger team like Pakistan and bring team like West Indies or other team .#ShameOnBCCI #BoycottIndoPakMatch #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/4tUTQW73LB

— Anish 🇮🇳 (@Anishmondal231) October 13, 2023

#BoycottIndoPakMatch Shame on you @arjitsingh4224 @Shankar_Live if u a real indian and you know what our @adgpi work for me plz not go on concert during #IndiaVsPakistan match you remember this @JayShah @BCCI @imVkohli what they do pic.twitter.com/7delpT2jWY

— Pankaj Upadhyay🇮🇳 (@pankajupadhyayc) October 13, 2023

Dont make money in the name of cricket and betray our soldiers martyred protecting us from pak sponsored terrorists.
Shame on @JayShah#ShameOnBCCI#BoycottIndoPakMatch pic.twitter.com/IGPtIKHfRE

— Ranjan Pattnaik 🇮🇳 🐦 (@talk2srp) October 13, 2023

Cricket match is nothing infront of our Soldiers.

Enemies are always enemy.

Shame on BCCI and Jay Shah

Pakistani doesnt deserve this type of welcome.#BoycottIndoPakMatch #INDvsPAK #IndiaVsPakistan #AUSvsSA #INDvPAK #INDvsAFG #INDvAFG #RohitSharma #TrainAccident #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/mTJOW1ugSm

— Ajeet Kumar🇮🇳 (@ajeetkr03) October 13, 2023

Pakistani players were welcomed in India in Hyderabad, then despite the absence of Pak people in the stadium, Indian J!had! raised slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. They should be ashamed of supporting those people due to whom our country soldiers were martyred.#BoycottIndoPakMatch pic.twitter.com/EUWcY9rjtJ

— HINDU SAI (@TheNameIsSaiii) October 13, 2023

Cricket match is nothing infront of our Soldiers.

Enemies are always enemy.

Shame on BCCI and Jay Shah

Pakistani doesnt deserve this type of welcome.#BoycottIndoPakMatch #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/UkoV4enpt7

— KIRANTR (@KiRanM9999) October 13, 2023

Kargil - Pulwama - Pathankot - Uri

Agra - Hyderabad - Ahmedabad......#BoycottIndoPakMatch

— Major Pawan Kumar, Shaurya Chakra (Retd) 🇮🇳 (@major_pawan) October 12, 2023

Pakistani kill our soldiers
and
We welcome them all arms and legs open

We are not citizens worth dying for....
No , we are not

Shame on us
Shame on @BCCI
Shameful @JayShah#BoycottIndoPakMatch#BoycottBCCI#BoycottIndoPakMatch pic.twitter.com/lSXUJE6ckj

— Ronin 🇮🇳🇮🇱 (@indian_ronin) October 13, 2023