Cricket is much more than a sport in South Asia, however this is an emotion that frequently causes fan over-reaction. Recently, a clip from Pakistan went viral showing one man smashing his LED television in anger at India's solid performances at the T20 World Cup. The video rapidly disseminated worldwide, where many joked about associating it with India’s triumph over the West Indies that cemented their berth in the semifinals. In practice, the episode was linked to India’s previous victory over Pakistan but the timing of India’s success against the West Indies contributed to the internet buzz surrounding the event.
The viral video features Pakistani fan Waqar Azam, who was upset when India defeated Pakistan in the group stage. Frustrated, he grabbed a bat and broke his television screen, screaming angrily about the defeat. The dramatic act was recorded for streaming and uploaded to the internet, attracting millions of views. Social media participants immediately linked the video to India’s later victory over the West Indies, joking that Pakistani anchors and fans were unable to cope with India’s supremacy.
India’s cricket team did quite well in the T20 World Cup. A big boost was their victory over Pakistan, then a crushing win over the West Indies sent them into the semifinals. For Pakistani fans, the defeat to India was particularly painful considering the longstanding rivalry between the two countries. The smashed TV video was an example of that frustration, although not linked to the West Indies match.
India’s victory and Pakistan’s discontent led to the perfect storm for memes and jokes. Social media users blew up the event, saying even anchors were breaking TVs in anger. Crying emojis, humorous captions and memes cranked up the drama, making that story trend across platforms. For many, it was less about the actual event and more about the entertainment value of seeing such extreme reactions.
The viral video of a Pakistani fan smashing his TV shows how profound cricket's effect on the emotions is in the region. But the move was connected to India’s triumph over Pakistan while online chatter associated it with India’s semifinal qualification after winning against the West Indies. And the incident showcases the passion and the humor that cricket drives: once again cementing this sport as far removed from the game, and a world away culture.
