Pakistan's India boycott U-turn sparks memes: Fans say therapy can't fix their issues

Pakistan’s latest India boycott drama at the T20 World Cup ended exactly where most people thought it would, with a U-turn and a flood of memes.

As soon as Pakistan confirmed it would play India on February 15 in Colombo, fans on social media jumped in with the classic “told you so” energy. Some even joked that Pakistan’s issues with India are so complicated that “even therapists cannot fix them.”

The India vs Pakistan match was briefly in doubt after Pakistan threatened a boycott in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were replaced by Scotland over security concerns. But after an extended meeting involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), the threat was quietly rolled back by the Pakistan government.

And once it was, the trolling began.

Much of the online heat was aimed at PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with users mocking the constant twists and turns in Pakistan’s decision-making. The optics were simply too good for the internet to ignore: a boycott announcement, a week of noise, and then the inevitable U-turn from the PCB.

Naqvi, after the meeting in Lahore, briefed Sharif on what was discussed during the talks, and soon after, the Government of Pakistan confirmed through its official social media account that the team would take the field against India as scheduled.

Sharif said the reversal was influenced by requests from “friendly countries,” including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the UAE, along with the outcomes achieved through discussions with ICC officials.

Sources told India Today that Pakistan had also arrived at the meeting with a wish list. They pushed for India to be encouraged to resume bilateral cricket, floated the idea of a tri-series involving India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and even suggested India tour Bangladesh later this year.

The ICC turned those proposals down, reiterating that bilateral scheduling is outside its authority.

In the end, cricket’s biggest rivalry stayed right where it always was, firmly on the calendar. For fans, though, the real entertainment came before a ball was even bowled.

Pakistan’s boycott threat may have made headlines, but the U-turn was the part that fooled absolutely no one.

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