The war of words had always been there, but the curses, trolls, and uncalled for verbal volleys on social media have made an India-Pakistan tie into a very ugly affair in the recent past and it isn’t much different in the build up to the ICC Champions Trophy final.
Not many treat an India vs Pakistan match as a game, it’s more like war where you can’t lose. While 22 players battle it out on the pitch, there’s hardly anything that helps calm the fans; both raring to go at each other at every instant.
However, when a picture surfaced of former India skipper MS Dhoni holding the baby of Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed in his arms on Saturday, the moment was more than an adorable one and it took social media by storm. It not only helped fanatics tone down their aggression but also ensured that a sport has no boundaries whatsoever.
Fans from both the nations took to social media to celebrate the moments with a user who goes by the handle @HumayounAK stating: “This picture captures the soul of Ind-Pak matches. Enemies on the field. BFFs off the field. Dhoni with Sarfaraz’s son, Abdullah.”
Indian cricket team will take on Pakistan cricket team at The Oval on Sunday, trying to lift the Champions Trophy for a third time and all eyes will be on veterans such as MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, who could be taking part in the tournament for the final time.
Dhoni has been a vital cog in the batting line-up for the past few years but wasn’t required to bat against South Africa and Bangladesh. He, however, scored a fantastic 52-ball 63 against Sri Lanka; albeit for a losing cause.
A nice pic ahead of the Champions Trophy finals. @msdhoni with Sarfraz Ahmed baby: sports beyond boundaries!! #IndVsPak pic.twitter.com/8WNAlHzf4B
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 17, 2017
India are the favourites going into Sunday’s game but face a formidable opposition in Pakistan who, despite losing their first game to India by 124 runs made a strong comeback to reach the final despite being the lowest-ranked side to enter the tournament. And against India, they’ll ensure they give their best shot.
Source – HT
