Former India cricketer, Virender Sehwag, has earned a new fame on Twitter for being witty with his posts. But being witty on social media isn’t that easy, when you are in the habit of reacting to almost everything.
That’s perhaps the reason why the cricketer, popularly known as Nawab of Najafgarh, has also had to face public ire as some of his tweets weren’t deemed funny by a considerably large numbers of users. As was evident when Sehwag decided to publicly shame a martyr’s daughter, Gurmehar Kaur.
One of the reasons behind Sehwag’s transformation from being a hero of every Indian to a somewhat divisive figure was because the former India opener’s considered decision to join the neo-nationalist gang on the microblogging site.
On 15 June, when India thrashed minnows Bangladesh in the just-concluded Champions Trophy encounter, Sehwag’s take once again became a topic of intense social media conversation.
Reacting to India’s comprehensive 9-wicket victory over its neighbour, Sehwag wrote in his inimitable style, “Well tried Pote. Great effort to reach semis.Ghar ki hi baat hai.
Father’s Day par Bete ke saath final hai. Mazaak ko serious mat liyo bete.”
Well tried Pote. Great effort to reach semis.Ghar ki hi baat hai.
Father's Day par Bete ke saath final hai. Mazaak ko serious mat liyo bete.— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 15, 2017
Essentially, Sehwag had likened Pakistan to India’s son and Bangladesh grandson given that the latter’s creation as a sovereign country had taken place from the independence from Pakistan. Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan until 1971, when it became an independent country, thanks to the military intervention of India.
However, his tweet came to haunt Sehwag on Sunday in the wake of India’s humiliating defeat at the hands of, in his words, son Pakistan. Pakistan annihilated India by 180 runs to lift the Champions Trophy in London.
Social media users were nimble-footed in poking fun at Sehwag reminding him about his perceived foot-in-mouth tweet.
Are you watching @virendersehwag???? Be careful next time whilst opening your pote mouth ??#INDvPAK #ChampionsTrophyFinal
— Shahjahan Saif (@shahjou) June 18, 2017
Has @virendersehwag posted any bete-pote stuff today? Must be in hiding & soaking in all the Punjabi abuses from across the border on his TL
— Anand Kochukudy (@AnandKochukudy) June 18, 2017
@virendersehwag how are you feeling now? Your daddy is going to be champion. Learn to respect other nation pote.
— Mostakim Billah (@BillahMostakim) June 18, 2017
@virendersehwag wishing you a very #HappyFathersDay from Bangladesh (pote) #INDvPAK #CT17
— Rabby,fazla (@I_AM_FAZLA) June 18, 2017
Wana see @virendersehwag face … His Father is winning..Pote kaha chupa hai
— Abrar ronga (@AbrarrongaVoice) June 18, 2017
And if this humiliation wasn’t enough, his former India teammate Harbhajan Singh tweeted this;
Congratulations Pak cricket team 4 winning the CL17.guys plz stop saying who is baap who is beta.sabka Malik ek woh uparwala.Ind or paki??
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 18, 2017
While Harbhajan earned plenty of plaudits for cricket neutrals for his sane tweet, many appeared still determined to point out who the real culprit was in the whole controversy.
Sehwag has started all this stupidity
— Suri (@sunders60706949) June 18, 2017
Bhai viru ko bhe bol du ap yh bt ! He started that ! Respect for all from Pakistan ?? side ??
— Nehal (@coolnehal7) June 18, 2017
As for Sehwag, he had no option but to eat humble pie as evidently clear by his tweet, which read, “Congratulations Pakistan on a really comprehensive victory today. Well played, deserved winners and a great result for Pakistan cricket.”
Congratulations Pakistan on a really comprehensive victory today. Well played, deserved winners and a great result for Pakistan cricket.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 18, 2017