PremiumIND vs PAK: Indian netizens raise eyebrows with talks of boycotting match – what's behind the trend?
The hashtag #BoycottIndoPakMatch continued to gain momentum since October 13 morning.
Last Updated: 02.45 PM, Oct 13, 2023
As the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 looms just a day away, a significant portion of cricket fans has expressed their discontent with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
This arose following the BCCI's announcement of a pre-match performance featuring Bollywood singers Arijit Singh, Shankar Mahadevan, and Sukhwinder Singh at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on October 14.
On social media, particularly on X (formerly known as Twitter), a number of cricket enthusiasts have even gone as far as threatening to boycott the game scheduled for Saturday.
Their disapproval primarily stems from Pakistan's alleged support for terrorism. The anger had further escalated with the circulation of images and videos showcasing the warm reception accorded to Pakistani players upon their arrival in India for the World Cup matches.
With the addition of the musical ceremony preceding the clash of arch-rivals, Indian cricket fans have become increasingly vocal about their discontent. The hashtags #BoycottIndoPakMatch and #ShameonBCCI continued to gain momentum since October 13 morning.
It's worth noting that the ICC Cricket World Cup, India's first-ever solo-hosted tournament, did not feature an opening ceremony.