New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its secretary Jay Shah on Thursday found themselves in the crosshairs of netizens as they vented their anger & ire over grand reception of Pakistani cricket team in Ahmedabad.
Babar Azam-led Pakistan cricket team reached Ahmedabad last night ahead of its fierce encounter with Team India at Narendra Modi stadium, on October 14. The Pakistani squad received grand welcome at an Ahmedabad hotel and were greeted with shawls, showered with flower petals while some women dancers grooved while they arrived.
The red-carpet welcome for the Pakistani cricketers in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad has left netizens bristling & fuming. And, they made no bones about calling out the top BCCI officials including Secretary Jay Shah for such flattering attention to cricketers from neighbouring nation, whose cricketing chief Zaka Ashraf recently called India, a ‘rival nation’.
‘Why royal treatment for rogue nation cricketers?’
The X (formerly called Twitter) timeline is flooded with barrage of criticism for giving rousing reception to Pakistani team. Many users shared videos of grand welcome and questioned why they are being showered with flower petals when Pak-based terror continues to bleed India, with latest terror incident being killing of top armymen & J&K DSP in Anantnag gunbattle, last month.
Many felt offended & outraged over Indian girls made to dance in front of Pakistani cricketers. A couple of videos, on social media, shows girls dancing while Pakistani squad makes way into hotel.
Pakistani kill our soldiers
and
We welcome them all arms and legs openWe are not citizens worth dying for….
No , we are notShame on us
Shame on @BCCI
Shameful @JayShah#BoycottIndoPakMatch#BoycottBCCI pic.twitter.com/hauwJaBWQw— Major Pawan Kumar, Shaurya Chakra (Retd) 🇮🇳 (@major_pawan) October 12, 2023
I always Hate BCCI from Beginning for not taking our Sanju Samson in squads.. but from now everyone will hate shame on BCCI For us we need only our soilders ❤️🇮🇳 #IndianArmy #IndianRailways #TrainAccident #Kohli #JayShah #INDvsAFG #INDvsPAK #Ahmedabad #EmergencyAlert 🇮🇳 Jawans🙏 pic.twitter.com/F5di5e0rst
— Srinivas Mallya🇮🇳 (@SrinivasMallya2) October 12, 2023
Can we Indians believe it?
This is the welcome being given to Pakistani players in Ahmedabad by BCCI under Jay Shah?
All this while our soldiers are fighting against cross border terrorism from Pakistan? pic.twitter.com/Uwhrhnkd4a
— Anshuman Sail Nehru (@AnshumanSail) October 12, 2023
This is Ahemdabad where BCCI led by Jay Shah is giving VVIP treatment to Pakístan Cricketers.
-They gave them a visa,
-Gave them the best hospitality
-Arranged musical ceremony
-Invited 48 journalists from their nation.And BJP IT Cell cry day in & day out at opposition for… pic.twitter.com/LBThGID4Sd
— Amock (@Politics_2022_) October 12, 2023
Is this really necessary for that terrori$t country?
They stand with the terrori$t organisation #Hamas, and so do their players!Embarrassing for #JayShah and #BCCI #Ahmedabad #CWC2023 #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/Izgn1RQcLj
— Arvind Kejriwal(श्री 420) (@arvindKejri420) October 12, 2023
India and Pakistan are set to lock horns at Narendra Modi stadium on Saturday and as per reports, some musical programs have also been arranged for the ‘mother of battles’ in the World Cup 2023.
Many called it an ‘epic insult’ of Bharat and also demanding answers from BCCI & its Secretary Jay Shah for reason behind special treatment to the visiting team.
Pak cricketer demeaned Israel
For the unversed, Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan recently stirred a major controversy as he dedicated his century & team victory against Sri Lanka to ‘brothers & sisters in Gaza’.
The wicket-keeper received flak from all quarters for politicizing the Israel-Hamas war. Many lashed out at him for pushing religion into cricket.
Notably, India has taken tough stance against Pakistan & repeatedly refused to engage in talks with it, till latter restrains from act of terrorism.
In the recently concluded Asia Cup tournament, BCCI talked tough by not sending Men in Blue to the neighbouring nation but this lavish treatment has clearly put the Indian cricketing body on backfoot.
