New Delhi: Off all the things India and Pakistan differ on, cricket is one sport which runs common in the DNA of both the nations. Cricket matches are the most anticipated events of both the countries.
It is one time when the animosity and camaderie between both the nations is at all time high and a sense of nationalism is pervasive in every citizen of the country.
However, the unparalled rivalry is a spectacle that every cricket lover looks forward to.
So, during the run up to the 2015 edition of the cricket world cup, sports channel Star Sports created an ad around the rivalry between the two nations, poking fun at Pakistan’s World Cup record against India which went on to become rage in India.
But Pakistan did not like India’s take on the rivalry and the advertisement did not go down well with them and Pakistani cricketing fans vented their anger on social media.
Networks in Pakistan had discussions on the ads and the word spread off India’s cockiness about their World Cup record.
To come up with the perfect response, Pakistani news network Samaa TV has come up with an ad of its own, seeking to remind India of their own records in other ‘big’ matches.
Pakistan’s biggest talking point is the six that Javed Miandad hit off Chetan Sharma in the 1986 Australasia Cup final at Sharjah, which has become part of sub-continent’s cricketing folklore. Then there is reference to Aqib Javed’s hat-trick of LBWs during a Sharjah trophy final in October 1991, Saeed Anwar’s 194 at Chennai during the Independence Cup in 1997 and finally there is the Boom Boom effect with Shahid Afridi.
The Pakistani ad signs off with Afridi’s six in the last over to win the Asia Cup match last year, incidentally the last ODI between the two sides. Star Sports campaign for the 2015 World Cup is pinning its hope on the hashtag “#wontgiveitback†with the Indian players featuring prominently in it.Â