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Cricket PlayersNo, Jay Shah didn't watch India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match with Shahid Afridi in Dubai stands: Fact check of viral video
X's AI clarified that a viral video of Jay Shah and Anurag Thakur watching IND vs PAK with Shahid Afridi was from the 2025 Champions Trophy, not the Asia Cup.
The stakes of the latest India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match could not be higher. Post the recent geopolitical tensions following the tragic incident in Pahalgam, the atmosphere was charged with tension beyond the cricket field.
Ahead of the game, discussions arose about whether the match would go on, and there were calls for a boycott from a large section of India. However, BCCI, the governing body of Indian cricket, stated that it is not possible to forfeit a game when the ACC or the ICC arranges it.
So, the game went ahead, and the arch-rivals faced off at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates. A recent video surfaced on social media that drew the attention of cricket fans. In it, Anuragh Singh Thakur, an Indian politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party and a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, and Jay Shah, the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since December 2024, are seen watching a game with ex-Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi.
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A few posts claimed that the video was from the latest clash between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025. This sparked agitation among the people, especially given the prevailing national sentiments and the current tension between the two countries. The fact that Shahid Afridi was one of the most active figures during the latest India-Pakistan war, spreading hate against India, drew further hate towards the Indian personalities spotted in the video.
However, the built-in AI of X (Grok) clarified that it was an old video based on user feedback. The match in question was the India vs Pakistan clash from the 2025 Champions Trophy. It was played in Dubai on February 25th 2025, a couple of months before the tragic incident at Pahalgam. The fact that the venues of the two matches were the same might have led to the confusion.
India and Pakistan clash on the cards again
Notably, India emerged victorious on both occasions. In the recent Asia Cup clash, they steamrolled past their opponents by seven wickets. During the Champions Trophy match, India were asked to chase down 241 runs in 50 overs. Shouldered by Virat Kohli's brilliant hundred, the 'Men in Blue' chased down the target with six wickets in hand and more than seven overs remaining in the game.
India, showing cricketing supremacy in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, has already qualified for the Super Four stage. The tournament's schedule leaves the scope open for the two teams to face off once more.
