India dominates Pakistan as Asia Cup clash sparks meme storm
India and Pakistan met once again on the cricket field in Dubai on September 14, 2025, during the Asia Cup group stage. The game carried weight far beyond the scoreboard, being the first clash between the two sides since border tensions earlier in the year. Calls for a boycott had surfaced in India in the lead-up to the match, but when the players finally walked out, the anticipation on both sides of the border was undeniable.
On the pitch, the contest was far more one-sided than fans might have hoped. Pakistan batted first but never found momentum, finishing on 127 for 9. India’s spinners kept the middle order in check and early wickets derailed any chance of a competitive total. The chase that followed was calm and assured. Young openers Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma gave India a brisk start before captain Suryakumar Yadav anchored the innings with an unbeaten 47. India crossed the finish line with seven wickets in hand and more than four overs to spare, confirming their dominance in the fixture and leaving Pakistan searching for answers.
While the cricket was serious, the internet quickly turned to humor, and memes began flooding timelines almost as soon as the match began. One viral moment came even before the first ball was bowled: for a few seconds, the stadium speakers played the hit track Jalebi Baby instead of Pakistan’s national anthem. The mix-up sparked an avalanche of memes and jokes, with fans on both sides poking fun at the surreal blunder. The toss too added to the internet fodder when Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav appeared to skip a handshake with his Pakistani counterpart Salman Ali Agha, a gesture interpreted online as everything from intentional shade to simple awkwardness.
Once the match got underway, Pakistan’s batting collapse was quickly turned into comic material. Memes joked about spinners being Pakistan’s eternal weakness, while others portrayed the top order as “vanishing” under pressure. Indian fans celebrated with humor about how calmly the chase was handled, while Pakistani supporters leaned into self-deprecating jokes, acknowledging the lacklustre performance.