Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan has drawn sharp criticism from Pakistanis after making fun of the national cricket team on social media, according to the reports on Sunday.
The episode started during a cricket talk show when former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar mistakenly referred to Indian opener Abhishek Sharma as “Abhishek Bachchan.”
Akhtar remarked that if Pakistan managed to dismiss “Bachchan” early, India’s middle order could be tested, which sparked laughter in the studio before he corrected himself.
The clip quickly went viral, prompting Abhishek Bachchan to respond on “X,” joking that there was no chance of him playing cricket since he was never good at it.
However, his lighthearted comment angered many Pakistani fans, who accused him of mocking their team. Some users took digs at him, saying cricket wasn’t his only weak spot and mocking his acting career as dependent on his family’s name.
Others went a step further, quipping that Pakistani cricketers could act better than him.
In the end, many fans hoped Pakistan’s cricketers would let their on-field performances provide the best reply after their two recent defeats to India in the tournament.