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In defence of women thirsting over the Pakistan cricket team

In defence of women thirsting over the Pakistan cricket team

Stop gatekeeping the sport and its players just because you don't like seeing female fans praising cricket players online.
16 Nov, 2021

Everyone loves the Pakistan cricket team right now and that 'everyone' includes Pakistani women. The team were already celebrities but the T20 World Cup and their stellar performance in it shot them to superstardom in the eyes of the internet and made them instant crush material. But for some reason, this countrywide adoration seems to have rubbed some people the wrong way.

The playing XI were quite the heroes during the tournament on and off the cricket pitch, heroes who seem to have snagged the hearts of many women across the country with their talent and good looks. Social media is now home to a fair share of stan accounts devoted to videos of Babar Azam, Shahdab Khan and Haris Rauf jumping in the air in slow motion, surrounded by heart emojis.

Case in point, these funny but sometimes very serious tweets.

This one was pretty hilarious.

And this.

This too.

You get the idea. But while many social media users are quite entertained with the internet's sudden preoccupation with the Men in Green, not everyone is happy. Some users have expressed their dislike of all the thirsting happening on social media, like this gentleman for instance.

This tweet did not go down well with female fans at all, a fact they really let everyone know through a number of humorous responses.

Some fairly pointed out that our premier is also a cricketer who saw a lot of thirsting during his own cricketing days.

Some women wondered why interest in cricket and cricket players are perceived as a man's domain only. Some male fans want to gatekeep the sport and keep women out for some reason.

They reminded folks that women aren't only just seasonal fans. There are some who've been following the game and harbouring admiration for certain players for a really long time.

Can you really blame someone for thirsting over their favourites when they look this good?

Since the time immemorial, people have been making fun of what women like. If they like singers or boybands, those singers become lame. If they like a TV show, it becomes girly or strange. If they like a TV show or game a man also likes, they are posers, wanting to impress men. If they like a sport... well, it seems women aren't allowed to like sports on the internet. For some reason, we just like hating on women liking things.

While the players and their dapper looks might be one of the reasons why women are crushing on them on social media, it would be unfair to assume that is the only reason. There are many women who've developed a fondness for the team because of their amazing performance and endearing actions we've seen from the players throughout the tournament. From being great sportsmen, sharing cake and hugs with their opponents and being wholesome to their young fans, we've seen some great moments from this cricket team and they are worthy of admiration. If people on the internet want to express that admiration in the form of funny tweets and cute videos of their favourite cricketers with sweet captions, what's the problem?

In short: stop gatekeeping sports and being a fan and let people thirst over players if they want to.

Comments

M. Emad Nov 16, 2021 05:58pm
Defeated, Pillow carrying Pakistan cricket team.
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M. Saeed Nov 16, 2021 06:15pm
If Shoaib Malik and Haris Rauf had repeated even 10 % of their previous heroics in the semi, the result would have been different for the green shirts.
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Dr. Rafiq Khan Nov 16, 2021 10:17pm
Strange and cringey.
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Cryptic Mystic Nov 16, 2021 10:17pm
None of them are good looking, but some are good athletes.
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Your master Nov 16, 2021 11:26pm
@M. Emad As long as pakistani team defeated indian self praising nobodies , we will always consider it as a WIN .
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Umar Nov 16, 2021 11:36pm
@M. Emad Ahuh. Ready to continue Bangladesh's 5-0 losing streak? No shame in this guy. His team has lost all five of its games in the world cup and the dude has the audacity to talk down a team that actually did pretty well.
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jc Nov 17, 2021 02:28am
Similar comments about female athletes by men would be called objectifying and objectionable and there would be condemnation of the male gaze. Let us keep the same standards of social appropriateness. Men just having fun is not considered okay, is it?
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Sam Nov 17, 2021 03:06am
@M. Emad Your Indian team lost way earlier
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Tadka Nov 17, 2021 08:52am
None of them are popular for their looks in this team but that doesnt matter. Their new found talent is enough
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sawera Ahmed Nov 17, 2021 09:43am
If they hadn't performed well in the tournament... there would be none drooling over them as everyone would be busy bashing them
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Five Rivers Nov 17, 2021 11:18am
@M. Emad rohit sharma became quiet a hero after Pakistan and New Zealand defeat.
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Anonymouseee Nov 17, 2021 11:54am
These women seem to embarrass themselves quite frequently. Rest assured, majority of Pakistani women don’t stoop to this level.
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Anonymouseee Nov 17, 2021 11:54am
@M. Emad we won the T20 cup the day we THRASHED your india to bits and pieces.
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Zunaira Nov 17, 2021 02:55pm
@M. Saeed Not Shoaib, but Haris did! That catch have you watched it? & certain fielding efforts in that match alone by him u should watch !
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Zunaira Nov 17, 2021 02:56pm
@jc cx we all know they don’t just “have fun”
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Nov 17, 2021 03:27pm
United we stand, divided we fall.
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Jigen Nov 17, 2021 04:42pm
Very very proud of this team. Thanks for winning so many matches and reviving Pakistan cricket
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Ajay Nov 18, 2021 02:06am
@Anonymouseee well we were doing the same last 30years
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Ajay Nov 18, 2021 02:07am
@Jigen thanks for winning the toss
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Ravi Sanku Nov 18, 2021 02:56am
Both India and Pakistan are obsessed with cricket and I am afraid Pakistan is one level more. Don't think anyone in Australia talks about T20 victory.
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A Shah Nov 18, 2021 11:30am
@M. Emad lol better than match fixing indians
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