After last night’s Ind VS Pak T20 Asia Cup match, it was understood that a lot of people would not take things lightly. While sports is meant to make us feel like we’re part of a team or just a sense of belonging, even a beautiful game of cricket brings out the worst in people at times – which is just unfortunate. Instead of appreciating or motivating the team (the bare minimum), we used social media to pull them down.
Every Indian to Arshdeep Singh when he dropped the catch #INDvsPAK2022 #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/oe4oNZFWn6
— Just Another Guy (@JustNotherGuy11) September 4, 2022
During the nail-biting match, Arshdeep dropped a catch and the internet started pushing out the memes. People then started trolling the player and hurling abuses. Some even called him anti-national, and all it took was one drop. As if one mistake is all it takes to define a player and a person.
One drop catch and….. 🤮🤮🤢🤢#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/6lhFjkQ6wf
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 4, 2022
However, there were some people who took a stand for Arshdeep, including former cricketers Harbhajan Singh, Mohammad Hafeez and Irfan Pathan.
Stop criticising young @arshdeepsinghh No one drop the catch purposely..we are proud of our 🇮🇳 boys .. Pakistan played better.. shame on such people who r putting our own guys down by saying cheap things on this platform bout arsh and team.. Arsh is GOLD🇮🇳
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 4, 2022
Arshdeep is a strong character. Stay that way boy. @arshdeepsinghh
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 4, 2022
Arshdeep Singh is 23. For heavens sake, this is a bloody match, some of the best players have dropped a catch on a bad day. He fought it out till the last over, he braved it with a smile on his face while you anonymous keyboard warriors doled out certificates of patriotism.
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) September 4, 2022
He is the best. One mistake doesn’t mean that you are Anti-National #ArshdeepSingh pic.twitter.com/xMZfsZqV6j
— BikramJit Singh (@_Bikram_0001) September 4, 2022
This is ridiculous. The way Arshdeep Singh maintained himself during the last over is praiseworthy. pic.twitter.com/tgpWKpXa4C
— Qazi Shibli (قاضی شبلی) (@QaziShibli) September 4, 2022
Took the match to last ball
— Tributer2.0 fb💯 (@kingkohli28) September 4, 2022
Bowled terrific Yorkers
One drop catch doesn’t change the fact that he is a Star
Stay strong Champ#arshdeepsingh pic.twitter.com/GduW0WvdEd
It’s a pity how one loss can affect so much to the people that they decide to ridicule a 23-year-old boy, who is being called a khalistani, has his Wikipedia page defaced and what not. Arshdeep Singh is made for great things that he will achieve in times to come. #AsiaCup2022
— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) September 4, 2022
He is the best in death overs
— Harpal Sandhu (@HarpalSandhu077) September 4, 2022
We can’t blame for his one match
I stand with #arshdeepsingh
👍🏻👍🏻💯 pic.twitter.com/xd75EJMe41
Indians and specifically RSS/BJP bhakts have started trolling and bashing Sikh Cricketer Arshdeep Singh. Some of them are even calling him Khalistani just because he is Sikh. This actually reveals how struggling life Sikh and Muslims have to live in India. Shame on you Indians
— Sehar Shinwari (@SeharShinwari) September 5, 2022
But the fact remains that people didn’t wait to question the player and his credibility, just because of something that’s literally a part of the match — it happens. We keep forgetting about the amount of pressure that the players already have to deal with, let alone imagine the toll that trolling might take on them.