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Week-long holiday in Pakistan after winning Hong Kong Sixes: Fake tweet of PM creates havoc
After Pakistan's cricket team won the Hong Kong Super Sixes, a parody account falsely claimed a week-long national holiday from the Prime Minister.
Pakistan win a cricket tournament, and the Prime Minister announces a one-week national holiday. Sounds like the glory days are back in Islamabad.
Only, this time, the big celebration is not for a World Cup or a Champions Trophy - it’s for the Hong Kong Sixes. And a tweet in the name of Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, declaring a week-long holiday to mark the World Cup-like triumph in Hong Kong, has sent social media into overdrive.
The viral “holiday” for Hong Kong Sixes
In the viral post on X, the account styled as the Pakistan Prime Minister gushes over the team’s success at the Hong Kong Super Sixes and appears to elevate it to the status of a global title.
“Congratulations, Pakistan cricket team, on winning the Hong Kong Super Sixes. Although we can’t beat Indian commentators XI, this victory is nothing short of a World Cup win! I would like to declare 1-week national holiday on this joyous occasion,” read the post.
While there was genuine success to be celebrated, the declaration of a national holiday was unexpected. Pakistan beat Kuwait in the final to be crowned Hong Kong Sixes champions for the sixth time. The fans understandably grabbed at the chance to gloat.
Also Read: Pakistan cricketer recreates Hardik Pandya's iconic pose after winning Hong Kong Sixes for record sixth time
But the story comes with a twist. The post did not come from the official handle of Pakistan PM, Shehbaz Sharif, at all, but from a parody account calling itself “Shahbez Sharif”.
Social media, however, was already running with it. Another spoof account, riffing on R Ashwin’s name, jumped with a deadpan follow-up: “Victory parade pls.”
Notably, after lifting the trophy, Muhammad Shahzad celebrated by mimicking Hardik Pandya’s trademark pose and posted the picture online, inviting instant trolling from Indian fans.
India, ironically, had a messy tournament. They won only one match against Pakistan, edging a rain-hit clash by two runs via DLS, but lost to Nepal, Kuwait, the UAE, and Sri Lanka.
