Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja stirred a fresh cross-border debate on social media after taking a pointed swipe at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s celebratory post following Pakistan’s 22-run win over Australia in the first T20I at Lahore.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Soon after Pakistan clinched the series opener at the Gaddafi Stadium, Sharif took to X to congratulate the Salman Ali Agha-led side, calling it a “proud moment for the nation” and lauding PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi for his role in strengthening Pakistan cricket.
“Well done Team Pakistan for an electrifying performance against Australia in the first T20I… Proud moment for the nation,” Sharif wrote.Jadeja, however, was quick to respond with a caustic remark that went viral within minutes.“Pakistani-yo ki choti choti khushiya. First time seeing a PM’s tweet after winning the 1st match of a bilateral series,” Jadeja posted, in a comment that many interpreted as a dig at both the scale of celebration and the context of the win.
On the field, Pakistan made the most of the opportunity ahead of T20 World Cup, with captain Salman Ali Agha leading from the front. Promoted to No.3, Agha smashed a fluent 39, later confirming that the role is locked in for the remainder of the series and the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.“Yes, I’ll be batting at No.3. We expect to face a lot of spin, and I believe I can dominate spin during the Powerplay,” Agha said after the match.Saim Ayub starred with the bat and ball, scoring 40 at the top and dismissing both Australian openers. Pakistan posted 168/8 and then choked Australia’s chase with spin, claiming six wickets as the visitors were restricted to 146/8.
