Troll battles on X: “Maharaj” shuts down anti-Pakistan hate

In what could be the most unexpected cricket drama off the field, South African spinner Keshav Maharaj found himself at the center of a spicy X (formerly Twitter) showdown, and he handled it with all the finesse of a top-class bowler. Except it was a troll pretending to be the ace bowler.

The drama kicked off when an Indian Twitter user boldly declared Maharaj as an “Indian-origin proud Hindu” with a master plan to “smash Pakistan.” According to this fan, Maharaj not only aimed to dismantle Pakistan but also “instructed” his teammates Kagiso Rabada and Muthusamy, dubbed the “African Sher” and “another Hindu Sher”, to join forces in this cricket conquest.

But wait for the best part: In response to this, an account pretending to be ‘Keshav Maharaj’ dropped the mic with a tweet that packed more punch than any delivery on the pitch.

“I’m just a proud African boy who moved from India after not getting any opportunity there. That has to be the wisest decision of my life. You’re just showcasing your mentality and bringing hate to me when I’m on the ground. My intention is only to win the game for my country.”

Ouch!

In one swoop, one netizen turned a cultural identity debate into a reminder that cricket, and pride, transcend borders and hate.