Just before the start of the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup cricket match in Dubai on Sunday, the Indian team took a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
India lost the match, handing Pakistan its first win against the arch rival at any World Cup.
As soon as the match at the Dubai International Stadium ended, some Kashmiri students celebrating Pakistan’s victory were attacked in India.
Even Mohammed Shami, a Muslim member of India’s playing-XI, was abused on social media following the loss, despite captain Virat Kohli acknowledging his side had been “outplayed” by Pakistan.
Cricket matches often worsen the tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought three wars since their independence from the British in 1947.
After India’s loss, Indian cricketer Shami’s Instagram got hundreds of abusive messages, some of which labelled the fast bowler a “traitor” and a “sell-out”. Some posters even called him a “Pakistani”, suggesting he should be thrown out of the Indian team. (AlJazeera)
