On Sunday, history was made. And no, I’m not talking about Virat Kohli’s yet another indomitable double century against Sri Lanka. For the first time in international cricketing history, play was halted because of pollution and players were sporting masks!
https://twitter.com/AsharJawad/status/937234549855186944
Day 2 of the final IND v SL test match at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla stadium saw constant disruptions and a plea to halt the play by Sri Lankan players who were coughing, panting and finding it unable to breathe. Basically, Captain Virat Kohli’s frustration while declaring the match was echoing every Indian cricket fan’s sentiment!
Innings break! India declare their innings on 536/7.
Updates – https://t.co/OKFOpkiBg9 #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/jRzygy50g4
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 3, 2017
This bid by Sri Lanka that caused a formidable game by Team India to be declared prematurely did not go down well with Indian cricket fans. And where did they channel this aggression, you ask? Well, Twitter, of course!
Not surprisingly enough, Twitter was flooded with jibes, some gentle, some too harsh, at Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal and his team members for using their flair for the dramatic to turn the match in their favour.
1. Say this out loud in a single breath!
Things Sri Lankan's can't do in India:
– Can't Bowl
– Can't Bat
– Can't Field
– Can't take successful DRS
– Can't Win
And Can't Breathe !!#INDvSL #IndvsSl
Rohit Sharma #Kohli— Boring… (@graphicalcomic) December 3, 2017
2. Grey’s Anatomy called. They have a role for ya, Team Sri Lanka!
A senior surgeon from Sri Lanka guiding the junior surgeons. #IndvSl pic.twitter.com/GXgosErRHj
— GILL 2.0 (@ikpsgill1) December 3, 2017
3. Parde mein rehne do! Parda na uthaao!
Pic 1: Sri Lankan players at Delhi
Pic 2: Sri Lankan players at Colombo airport after this series#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/xRZka802i8
— RS (@AwaraRish) December 3, 2017
4. Tera dhyaan kidhar hai, yeh tera game idhar hai!
Summary Of Sri Lankan Cricket Today. #INDvSL #INDvsSL #DelhiSmog #SmogInDelhi #Kohli pic.twitter.com/6YRiYe9c3F
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) December 3, 2017
5. Dhritarashtra would be proud!
These days Sri Lankan players are fielding with mask on their faces, and batting with blindfold on their eyes. #INDvSL
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) December 3, 2017
6. Ha!
https://twitter.com/ElCrankoPunko/status/937222329578352640
7. Lagaan 2.0 right here, folks!
Yesterday was one of the most interesting in cricket. Really enjoyed both Cricket by #India and Acting by #SriLanka #INDvSL #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/kXQBw4SRC0
— Abhishek Kumar (@Abhi_16177) December 4, 2017
8. Can they also dance equally well on Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan?
Sri Lankan actors showing their skills in India.#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/4uCAPCRz9a
— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) December 3, 2017
9. AAP toh kamaal karte hain!
Dinesh Chandimal is Kejriwal of cricket. Dramebaaz. #INDvSL
— Tejas Joshi (@tejas_h_joshi) December 3, 2017
10. Jaaadu!
Arvind Kejriwal can take a sigh of relief(once the air gets better). Air Pollution in Delhi is a result of witchcraft. I hope that is the argument Sri Lankan captain Chandimal is giving at Feroz Shah Kotla. pic.twitter.com/44aALOizh7
— Mrinal (@short_xtracover) December 3, 2017
11. IT is possible that this is a very funny joke(r)!
Sri Lankan players today morning. #INDvSL #INDvsSL #DelhiSmog #Smog #MumbaiMemes pic.twitter.com/6tJ21JRNmy
— Mumbai East (@Mumbai_ME_) December 4, 2017
12. Yeaaaaaah…. No.
Lankans are like… 😷😷😷😷 pic.twitter.com/tBfyE1DAAa
— Krishndev Vishwakarma (@KDVSHWAKARMA) December 3, 2017
13. Kejriwal likes this!
Why the play had to stop so many times.there was.an easy solution – players with odd number should play on odd days and with even number on even days. #Smog #INDvSL
— Ashwin Iyer (@AshwinIyer3) December 3, 2017
While these jokes may have served their purpose of making us laugh, let’s also take a minute to think of the fact that the smog situation of Delhi has now officially become an international embarrassment.
We cannot be sure if this was a ploy by Sri Lanka to salvage their situation by stopping India from putting more runs on the board. Or whether this was a genuine hazard to their well-being. But we have to give them the benefit of doubt, considering the smog has been a nuisance since a while now.
So can we let skipper Kohli worry about the match stats and focus our attentions a little on the air pollution stats for Delhi, shall we?
Cover Image Courtesy: T-SeriesÂ