The highly-anticipated India-Pakistan clash at the ongoing cricket World Cup didn’t end up being as competitive as fans would have liked. Virat Kohli and Co won by 89 runs ( by DLS method) to record their biggest win in terms of runs over their arch-rivals at the World Cup. It also extended their win streak to 7-0.
But even as match in Manchester failed to live up the hype in terms of cricket and stretched on with rain delays, there was more than enough drama to keep Twitter abuzz on Sunday.
From Rohit Sharma’s scintillating century to Mohammad Amir’s superb spell at the start, from Kohli becoming the fastest to reach 11,000 ODI runs and then walking on 70, thinking he had edged the ball, to Bhuvneshwar Kumar walking off the field injured and Kuldeep Yadav redeeming himself. And there was the Sarafaraz Ahmed meme moment that will go down as iconic.
In case the cricket field drama wasn’t enough, Pakistan cricket fans went on overdrive on social media as their team collapsed. The trolling was as vicious as it was funny, with savage jibes at their own team and captain.
All in all, it was a good day to follow cricket on Twitter. Here’s a look at some of the best tweets as the India-Pakistan match unfolded.
The big numbers
Results of India v Pakistan in Men's World Cups:
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 16, 2019
1992: 🇮🇳
1996: 🇮🇳
1999: 🇮🇳
2003: 🇮🇳
2011: 🇮🇳
2015: 🇮🇳
2019: 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/BIOxOMZfM6
Most matches won against a team without losing against them in ICC ODI World Cup:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) June 16, 2019
7 - #INDvPAK
7 - Pakistan v Sri Lanka
6 - Windies v Zimbabwe
India won the match by 89 runs (DLS) - their biggest ever win against Pakistan in ICC ODI World Cups in-terms of runs.
11000 runs for Virat Kohli in the one-day internationals and he is the quickest to reach this landmark, taking just 222 innings. Sachin Tendulkar -the previous record holder - needed 276 innings.#INDvPAK #PAKvIND #CWC19
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) June 16, 2019
Rohit Sharma's last two ODIs against Pakistan:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) June 16, 2019
100* in Manchester, Today
111* in Dubai, 2018
He is now the first Indian to score consecutive centuries against Pakistan in ODI cricket. #INDvPAK #CWC19
A cracker from @ZaltzCricket:
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) June 16, 2019
Vijay Shankar is the third man to take a wicket with his first ball in a World Cup.
The others?
Ian Harvey and Malachi Jones of Bermuda - when Dwayne Leverock leaped like a salmon at slip!
Relive that magnificent moment: https://t.co/I5vrbYbk2D pic.twitter.com/GVAhIdMG4H
Praise for India
You’d have to have a pretty good reason right now not to fancy India for the World Cup.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) June 16, 2019
It was a brilliant all-round display by #TeamIndia!@ImRo45 was just amazing once again & @klrahul11 after being asked to open, played with a lot of responsibility.@imVkohli like always was classy & the way @imkuldeep18 bowled along with @hardikpandya7 was great to see.#INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/d639Yy6cfb
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 16, 2019
Dominating. Emphatic. One Sided.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 16, 2019
Well done, Team India 🇮🇳 #IndvPak #CWC19
Another World Cup win. Dominated like Champions. Well done India ! pic.twitter.com/3Lk9Bjdr11
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 16, 2019
Shikhar Dhawan gets injured, KL Rahul gets promoted and he doesn't disappoint. Vijay Shankar comes in and starts taking wicket with Bhuvneshwar Kumar injured. Shami is ready to come in next and he has been in splendid form. The beauty of this Indian team 🇮🇳 #CWC19
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) June 16, 2019
When the tears come streaming down your face...
— ahghbfgfc (@hcvwarrior) June 16, 2019
Lights will guide you home pic.twitter.com/N5o2KCbHWC
Questions for Pakistan
Sarfaraz made the same mistake what kohli made back in CT17. Won toss and bowl first. #PAKvsIND
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) June 16, 2019
Mohammad Amir clearly unhappy with some of his team-mates as he left the field. Lots of head-shaking as he headed towards the dressing-room #CWC19 #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/ATHCoFgMh6
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) June 16, 2019
How long can ICC continue to sell #IndvPak as its marquee rivalry. In ODIs it has been a no contest for years now. Heck even CSK vs RCB is not so one sided. Political and cultural rivalry cannot justify a no-contest as the greatest show on earth for too long.
— cricBC (@cricBC) June 16, 2019
Safaraz 12 off 30 chasing 337?! 🤷🏻♂️
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) June 16, 2019
Should the Pakistan captaincy switch hands? Babar Azam? Why wait for nine games? Four games to go. Have to win them all. May cause temporary friction but Sarfaraz doesn't look like he's enjoying the captaincy one it. #cwc19
— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) June 16, 2019
The bizarre Kohli dismissal
The only one who can get Virat Kohli out is Virat Kohli!#INDvPAK#ViratKohli
— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) June 16, 2019
BREAKING: @imVkohli finally encounters someone who can get him out - himself. pic.twitter.com/TXFFE3sVJC
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 16, 2019
That will go down as one of the strangest World Cup moments ever! @imVkohli walking when he wasn’t out! #IndiavPakistan
— Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) June 16, 2019
Jokes galore
After @ImRo45’s superb century, Pakistanis be like...#IndiaVsPakistan#INDvPAK#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/czeiqm9Cps
— Milind Deora (@milinddeora) June 16, 2019
Sarfaraz Ahmed took the wrong PM's advice on winning the toss... #INDvPAK #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/6RJtfn90xE
— Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) June 16, 2019
Pakistan currently challenging Manchester United for the worst team to have played in Manchester this year.
— Swaroop Swaminathan (@arseinho) June 16, 2019
Don't call me a traitor, but look at the Indian players, they look like proper athletes, our players look like they've eaten two plates of waris nihari with feeqay ki lassi and benazir kulfa, all at once.
— شاہ زیب خان (@shzbkhn) June 15, 2019
500 is on. 350 India k aur 150 humare.
— Ranting Pakistani (@RantsPakistani) June 16, 2019
Virat Kohli ki body language se pata lag raha hay ke larka kaptaan hay.
— Komal🇵🇰 (@komallsalman) June 16, 2019
Sarfaraz looks like someone woke him up for sehri 5 mins before azaan smh
Indian Captain vs. Pakistani Captain #INDvPAK #PAKvIND pic.twitter.com/XWU08m1iHF
— Sam 🇵🇰 (@iamsam_PTI) June 15, 2019
Didn’t we tell you, following the signals always helps? #IndiavsPakistan #INDvPAK #CWC19 #TeamIndia https://t.co/YprxiyiuQr
— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) June 16, 2019
The Indian Cricket Team right now. #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/LB7H0GrzEt
— Marvel India (@Marvel_India) June 16, 2019
A word on Pakistan fans, who won when the match was lost
We might be winning the match but Pakistanis totally won on Twitter today!! 😁😁
— Sunanda (@YoursLegallyy) June 16, 2019
Have to give it to Pakistan sports Twitter for a phenomenal, self-deprecating sense of humour. If we'd lost, we'd be burning down Twitter with outrage.
— Mild-Mannered Brand Guy (@Samit) June 16, 2019
Passion of Pak cricket fans #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/dsJOoWBPGm
— Muhammad Sulaiman (@msulaiman180) June 16, 2019
The humour in defeat shown by Pakistan fans is to be applauded: here is a classic: 'Kisi ne sahi kaha hai..
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 17, 2019
"Pakistan bowling kare to lagta hai batting pitch hai, Batting kare to lagta hai bowling pitch hai’😄#IndiaVsPakistan