'National game to down Indian jets': Fans turn to '6-0' after Asia Cup loss

While Pakistan may have lost the high-stakes Asia Cup clash against India in Dubai, the Pakistani nation did not seem to give up just yet and invoked their humour to get over yet another cricket defeat.

Pakistani batters faltered against India’s bowling line-up, and the Green Shirts managed to put up a meagre 127 runs on the board in the 20-over match. In response, India chased the target in 15.5 overs with seven wickets remaining.

Some Pakistanis recalled former skippers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan — absent from the squad — while others criticised the Men in Green’s poor batting as they vented their frustration.

Pakistan did have their moments in the match — Sahibzada Farhan became the first Pakistani batter to hit Jasprit Bumrah for a six, and Saim Ayub gained an unwanted record after a duck. The left-handed opener marked his seventh duck in T20Is, which drew him level with Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, and Kamran Akmal.

But since the match did not go in Pakistan’s favour, what could the Pakistani social media users do to boost their moods? Well, they remembered May’s four-day war in which Islamabad downed six Indian jets.

In April, a terrorist attack took place in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, and India blamed Pakistan for the attack — allegations that Islamabad denies. Following that, India launched an attack on Pakistan, which was met with a befitting response.

The Pakistani armed forces not only shot down Indian drones that came into Pakistani territory, destroyed their check posts on the border, but also shot down their fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale.

Throughout the match, Pakistanis posted actively on X, with many drawing comfort by referencing the May war.

“Our national game is downing Indian jets. 6-0,” posted an X user.

Another said: “6-0 is still much worse than 6-2. WE ARE CLEAR.”

Farhad posed: “For Pakistan, the real 6–0 isn’t on the cricket field - it’s in the skies. Six Indian jets down. That’s the scoreline history will never forget.”

“I do not accept any match; Pakistan’s real victory was 6-0,” a social media user added.

A user also wanted to calm down Indians: “Relax India, it’s just cricket, not a war. Otherwise you already know the score: 6-0.”

“Indians, no matter what, the score line is still 6-0. Ok,” a user added.

A disappointed user added: “We had one job and that was to not give India smthn after the 6-0 but ok.”