ISLAMABAD: There is one thing consistent about Pakistan’s cricket: the inconsistent madness which has come to define the nation’s favorite sporting team. Fans hold out hope for a win no matter the odds, and despite a myriad disappointments, sometimes the dark horse of Pakistani cricket rears its head and walks straight into a surprise win.
And so, because the mantle of being a sports fan is a nail-biting exercise in hope, during the first Pakistan game of the World Cup 2019 on Thursday, fans clutched at straws until the bitter end. And bitter, it certainly was.
The match against West Indies saw Pakistan thrashed by seven wickets after they managed a meager 108 runs. Watching Pakistan’s batting line up fall was like watching an old clip of a house collapsing into itself during a dynamite demolition.
To soften the blow, Pakistanis turned to the world’s natural defense mechanism: Twitter jokes and memes, shared thousands of times across social media platforms over the last few days.
Shoaib Akhtar, a former Pakistani cricketer with a career spanning fourteen years, and now a cricket commentator, kept his latest commentary short and sweet.
Speechless.
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) May 31, 2019
Journalist and culture critic Ahmer Naqvi took multiple shots at the let-down of the big match with hilarious tweets throughout the day.
Retweet if your team's total is less than your currency's exchange rate to the dollar
— Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) May 31, 2019
Hi guys any doctors on the TL looking to undergo procedure where I am put to sleep till end of @cricketworldcup let me know who to contact
— Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) May 31, 2019
Journalist Mubashir Zaidi made a clever quip about the other big thing in the news these days: Pakistan’s rising petrol prices. Incidentally, the price of petrol per litre is higher than Pakistan’s total score against West Indies. Memes abound.
Petroleum prices score is more than Pakistan Team score in @cricketworldcup #PAKvWI @pid_gov
New prices petrol 112. 68
Deisel 116.5
Increase 4.5 rupees
Ghabrana nahi hai— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) May 31, 2019
There was lots of humour shared about popular conversations by still-optimistic fans. During the 1992 World Cup, a tournament that Pakistan went on to win, the country had a tough start much like the events of Thursday’s match. Still, angry fans will be served none of the hopefulness right now, thank you.
When someone says 1992 mein bhi yahi hua tha :#PAKvWI pic.twitter.com/ssUrqFKAPS
— Waseem Akbar (@Waseem_Says_) May 31, 2019
Another Pakistani fan posted a photo of an old school bottle-opener and wrote, “Still a better opener than Imam-ul-Haq.”
Still a better opener than Imam-ul-Haq #PAKvWI pic.twitter.com/eZn7Jmhiil
— Farhan Nitrate (@FarhanNitrate5) May 31, 2019
Lastly, and perhaps most relatable of all, this meme of a television set shattered by a sledge hammer was a superb representation of most fan reactions.
Meanwhile in Pakistan #PAKvWI #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/Ubss8o9yAC
— M.S.UMAR (@MSUMAR13) May 31, 2019
But since hope comes with the territory, the fans will continue to dream as Pakistan takes to the field for its second match on Monday against England. Through all the memes, the imaginary sledgehammers and humiliation, it’s hard not to cheer for the men in green- a side with so many highs and lows in its exciting history, it’s hard not to get emotional whiplash or make a bit of fun to stay in the game when the going gets tough.
