Lahore Qalandars, a team in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), is in trouble because of a recent tweet that some people found offensive and insensitive with the 2023 season deciding to belittle Abhinandan again
The franchise, which has more than a million Twitter followers, posted a picture of all-rounder Hussain Talat drinking tea with the caption “Ye tu “Tea is Fantastic” hogya,” which roughly means “He has become a fan of tea now.
Pakistan smears Abhinandan Varthaman by showing picture of him drinking tea during PSL 2023 match on giant screen
Questions in favor of Ind-Pak Cricket match:
Why mix cricket with politics?
Why hate cricket?
Why against income of Cricket?Meanwhile, a PSL match has literally showed #AbhinandanVarthaman drinking tea!
PS: Abhinandan not only destroyed the aircraft of Pak but also their ego. pic.twitter.com/FV7RQeQxwU
— Shashank Shekhar Jha (@shashank_ssj) February 28, 2023
Pakistan showed his father Abhinandan's picture in strategic break time of a PSL match and these Pakistani beggars cry on social media that BCCI is mixing politics with cricket.#PSL08 || @OfficialPSL pic.twitter.com/Bl8lkPQDcN
— Sir BoiesX 🕯 (@BoiesX45) February 27, 2023
The tweet was seen as a direct reference to Indian fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by the Pakistani army in 2019 after his MiG-21 plane crashed during a surgical strike in Pakistan.
During his time in captivity, a video was released that showed Abhinandan thanking Pakistani officials for how well they treated him. When offered tea, he said, “Thank you, the tea is great.” Since then, “tea is great” has become a common meme in Pakistan, and it is often used to make fun of India.
The league however failed to learn its lesson with Abhinandan once again mocked just days after the anniversary of the Balakot airstrikes by the BJP lead government in India on a string of terrorist camps in extremist country Pakistan.
Ye tu "Tea is Fantastic" hogya – @HussainTallat12 #QalandarHum #HBLPSL8 pic.twitter.com/fVzjKIq0ks
— Lahore Qalandars (@lahoreqalandars) February 16, 2023
But many people thought Lahore Qalandars’ tweet was rude, and social media was quickly full of criticism and anger about it. People said that the franchise disrespected a war hero and went too far when they tried to be funny.
The tweet was later deleted, but the damage was already done. Indian fans responded with their own memes and tweets. Including one of Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli beating the Qalandars in the T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne.
Ye tu Urdu ki maa bhen kar di hogya. pic.twitter.com/OYAioQKBNq
— Varun Sharma (@DwellingDeep_) February 17, 2023
Ye tu "Laure lag gaye" hogya – @TheRealPCB pic.twitter.com/2o3EDUhAEF
— Harshitha (@harshithavk_) February 17, 2023
The incident has further strained the already tense relations between India and Pakistan. With many calling for action against the franchise. But Lahore Qalandars has since apologised. Saying that they did not mean to hurt anyone’s feelings with their tweet and that they are sorry if they did. They also told their fans that they would be more careful in the future and that they were committed to promoting peace and harmony.
Lahore Qalandars is a team in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Which began in 2015 and is a professional Twenty20 cricket league. The franchise is owned by Fawad Rana, a businessman and cricket fan who lives in Lahore, Pakistan. Since the start of the PSL, the team has been one of the most popular in the league. With a lot of fans both in Pakistan and around the world.
The Qalandars have had a mixed record in the PSL. Their best season was 2020, when they came in second place behind the Karachi Kings. The team is known for its aggressive style of play and its focus on young and up-and-coming talent. They also put a lot of effort into developing their players.
Overall, Lahore Qalandars is a well-known team in the PSL. They have a large fan base and work hard to promote cricket and community development in Pakistan. But the recent controversy over their tweet has made people question their judgement and sensitivity. It remains to be seen how they will respond to the backlash and win back the trust of their fans.
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