Tensions following the recent attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), have spilled over to social media, where not only citizens but also former cricketers from both India and Pakistan have become engaged in a war of words.
The interaction began when former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi made sharp remarks on a local TV programme, criticising the Indian military’s performance in Kashmir.
Commenting on the Pahalgam incident, Afridi questioned how such an event could occur despite the presence of what he described as “800,000 Indian troops” in the region.
“If even a firecracker goes off in India, the blame is placed on Pakistan,” he said. “You have eight lakh soldiers stationed in Kashmir and yet such incidents happen — this only means you’re incompetent and useless.”
His comments quickly gained traction on Indian media and triggered a strong reaction from former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan. Taking to social media platform X, Dhawan fired back at Afridi, referencing India’s victory in the Kargil conflict.
“We defeated you in Kargil, how much lower will you stoop?” Dhawan wrote. “Instead of making baseless comments, focus on your own country’s development.”
The spat intensified on Tuesday when Afridi responded with a touch of sarcasm. Posting a photo of himself in military-style attire while holding a cup of tea, he wrote on X, “Forget winning or losing — come, let me serve you some tea, Shikhar,” adding the hashtag #FantasticTea.
The hashtag #FantasticTea is a reference to a widely publicised incident on February 27, 2019, when Pakistan shot down two Indian aircraft that had violated its airspace and captured Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
During his detention, a video showed a Pakistani officer politely asking, “I hope you like the tea?” to which Abhinandan calmly replied, “The tea is fantastic, thank you.” The clip quickly went viral and became a symbol of Pakistan’s media narrative surrounding the incident.
Although Abhinandan was released and returned to India as a goodwill gesture, the moment, and the phrase, has since become a long-running meme in Pakistan, still frequently referenced in both political and pop culture contexts.
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