Given their shared history and a conflicted relationship, India-Pakistan cricket matches are almost always war by another name. That India has always got the better of its western neighbour whenever they have played in World Cup remains a matter of no small satisfaction for Indian fans.
It is this sentiment and nostalgia that Star Sports sought to capitalise on when it came out with a new ad six days ago, alluding to India's position as defending champions, with the clarion call #wontgiveitback.
The ad mocks the misery of an ageing Pakistani fan, who has been waiting in vain to celebrate his team's win over India in all these successive World Cups.
As expected, the ad quickly became a rage in India, but was not received well in Pakistan. Pakistani channel Samaa TV seems to have decided to respond in the same spirit with an ad that seeks to remind India of other such (admittedly non-World Cup) pitched battles between the two teams.
Along with Javed Miandad’s audacious six off Chetan Sharma in the final of the Australasia cup in Sharjah in 1996 that left all of India into deep depression for years, the ad ends with Shahid Afridi’s winning six in the Asia Cup final last year, giving Pakistan fans their bragging rights.
SAMAA News Comprehensive reply on Indian... by Awaiz_pp
This is not the only ad doing the rounds, as Pakistani fans have came up with another such video.
Such a spirited and passionate lead up to an encounter between the two teams is nothing new. In 2007, when Pakistan cricket team arrived on a tour of India, Neo Sports released ads focussing on the palpable tension in the air:
Or, check this out, an ad from Pakistan’s PTV Sports in 2012, promoting the India-Pakistan tie as part of the T20 World Cup:
Meanwhile, here's a reality check for those getting too carried away by jingoist ads. In October 2012 Star Sports had come out with "Angrezon ki Band Bajegi (English would be beaten back and blue)" campaign before the series against England. India lost 1-2.
It is this sentiment and nostalgia that Star Sports sought to capitalise on when it came out with a new ad six days ago, alluding to India's position as defending champions, with the clarion call #wontgiveitback.
The ad mocks the misery of an ageing Pakistani fan, who has been waiting in vain to celebrate his team's win over India in all these successive World Cups.
As expected, the ad quickly became a rage in India, but was not received well in Pakistan. Pakistani channel Samaa TV seems to have decided to respond in the same spirit with an ad that seeks to remind India of other such (admittedly non-World Cup) pitched battles between the two teams.
Along with Javed Miandad’s audacious six off Chetan Sharma in the final of the Australasia cup in Sharjah in 1996 that left all of India into deep depression for years, the ad ends with Shahid Afridi’s winning six in the Asia Cup final last year, giving Pakistan fans their bragging rights.
SAMAA News Comprehensive reply on Indian... by Awaiz_pp
This is not the only ad doing the rounds, as Pakistani fans have came up with another such video.
Such a spirited and passionate lead up to an encounter between the two teams is nothing new. In 2007, when Pakistan cricket team arrived on a tour of India, Neo Sports released ads focussing on the palpable tension in the air:
Or, check this out, an ad from Pakistan’s PTV Sports in 2012, promoting the India-Pakistan tie as part of the T20 World Cup:
Meanwhile, here's a reality check for those getting too carried away by jingoist ads. In October 2012 Star Sports had come out with "Angrezon ki Band Bajegi (English would be beaten back and blue)" campaign before the series against England. India lost 1-2.
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