Cricket World Cup 2019: Pakistan fans show sense of humour in defeat to India

Result at Old Trafford will have left many Pakistan supporters upset, but there were those who made light of situation

Pakistan cricket fans took refuge in humour as their team got clobbered by India at Old Trafford on Sunday. Andrew Boyers / Reuters

Pakistan cricket fans watched in dismay as their national team got beaten by India at Old Trafford on Sunday, making this their seventh defeat to the Old Enemy at the Cricket World Cup. In fact, Pakistan have never got the better of India on the world's biggest stage.

Success can make a team's die-hard supporters arrogant and insufferable (case in point being Australia in the 2000s and perhaps India at the moment). But defeat on an extended basis can help bring about self-deprecation among the followers.

In his interview to The Cricket Pod, former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed conceded fearing the consequences of defeat to India back in the 1990s. Players dared not to venture out of their homes in the aftermath of one such loss - in the quarter-finals of the 1996 World Cup in Bangalore.

But because the rivalry is not what it once was - given India's recent dominance over their neighbours - it looks like many fans have piped down a little. There were many instances on social media yesterday of fans showing their sense of humour even as their team were getting hammered at Old Trafford.

Some examples below are worth checking out:

1. This fan says, had the two nations not been partitioned in 1947, Pakistanis would not lived to faced ignominy:

2. This person knows how he will see 500 runs being scored:

3. Here's one comparing the fitness levels of both sets of players:

4. Siblings unhappy their mother gave birth to them so they could watch Pakistan lose:

5. This man says India kicking Pakistan's backside like they stole the Kohinoor diamond from them:

6. Spoofing a politician chiding another politician for lacking grace and dignity:

7. One 'illegitimate' player is replaced by another 'illegitimate' player (he means 'pretender'):

8. Shoaib Malik is not exactly Mr Popular:

9. Apparently Pakistan can neither 'control' the Pakistan rupee-US dollar conversion rate - nor India's run rate:

10. This fan calls himself/herself an 'idiot' for getting worked up about the game:

11. This one on the Pakistan captain is self-explanatory. Ouch:

12. Another meme on Sarfaraz Ahmed:

13. This fan says, "when Pakistan bowl, it looks like a batting pitch; when Pakistan bat, it looks like a bowling pitch':

14. Here's a fan comparing the body languages of both captains:

15. This fan is done believing in his team ever being favourites to win the cup: