Former India opener Aakash Chopra hit back in style at a social media user who accused him of being distracted on air during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match. The allegation surfaced after a photo of Chopra and Irfan Pathan from the Hindi commentary box went viral, with the user claiming the duo were discussing travel plans to Ireland instead of focusing on the on-field action during the Sri Lanka vs Ireland clash in Colombo.
The post suggested that wickets fell while the commentators were supposedly chatting about vacation destinations, going as far as calling the Hindi commentary panel a “joke” and accusing them of being “on vacation.” As is often the case on social media, the claim quickly gained traction, feeding into a wider trend of misleading posts created purely for engagement.
Aakash Chopra, however, chose not to lose his cool. Responding directly to the post, the seasoned broadcaster used humour to shut down the false narrative. He clarified that neither he nor Irfan Pathan had ever discussed travel plans to Ireland, even off air, and cheekily pointed out the clickbait nature of such content.
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His witty reply earned praise from fans, many of whom appreciated how he addressed misinformation without turning the exchange hostile. The episode once again highlighted a growing problem on X (formerly Twitter), where the availability of paid verification has led to a surge in anonymous and semi-anonymous accounts sharing misleading claims to drive reach and engagement.
Kuch aur clickbait content daal do bro. Irfan and I haven’t ever discussed places to visit in Ireland off-air also 🤣😂
Hope you get a good payout from X.
Kissi ka ghar toh chalna chahiye. 😍 https://t.co/WrxXUCsoyw— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 9, 2026
High-profile figures like Chopra often find themselves at the receiving end of such viral but inaccurate narratives, especially during marquee tournaments like the T20 World Cup. On the professional front, Chopra continues to be a regular part of the Hindi commentary panel for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, providing analysis and insights from his years of experience as both a player and a broadcaster.
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Meanwhile, on the field, Sri Lanka strengthened their campaign with a 20-run win over Ireland at the R Premadasa Stadium, picking up crucial Group B points. While social media noise continues to swirl around off-field narratives, the tournament itself is delivering competitive cricket, keeping fans firmly focused on the action where it belongs.
