Led by their talismanic captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings yesterday (October 16) won the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by beating Kolkata Knight Riders. While it was the fourth time that CSK won the marquee tournament, it was special in more ways than one. The CSk’ians were exulted that their team won the tournament after the lowest of lows last year, the netizens, on the other hand, were celebrating because some extremists of the country masquerading as journalists and social justice warriors were set in their place after unnecessarily mixing religion with the sport.
Reportedly, the Khan market gang and its B-listers such as Rana Ayyub, RJ Sayema, and Saba Naqvi wanted KKR to win in the final so that ‘poetic justice’ could be served and Shahrukh Khan have a moment of happiness in his otherwise gloomy life, at the moment.
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Shahrukh Khan is the owner of KKR and, since his son Aryan Khan has been ensnared in the net of NCB for the alleged drug bust on Cordelia cruise ship, winning the IPL could have been sort of redemption, at least that’s what the cheerleaders of Shahrukh thought so.
After KKR beat Delhi Capitals in the Qualifier 2 to qualify for the finals, Ayyub tweeted, “KKR in the finals. Poetic justice”
KKR in the finals. Poetic justice
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) October 13, 2021
Similarly, RJ Sayema wanted KKR to win. To not sound as antagonised as Rana, Sayema toned her statement down by claiming herself to be a Dhoni fan.
“Really want @KKRiders to win though I am a #Dhoni fan! Tonite I want @iamsrk to win” tweeted Sayema.
Really want @KKRiders to win though I am a #Dhoni fan! Tonite I want @iamsrk to win❤️
— Sayema (@_sayema) October 15, 2021
Meanwhile, Saba Naqvi backed KKR by stating, “Backing #KKR coz I love the city and want some good news in the life of @iamsrk”
Backing #KKR coz I love the city and want some good news in the life of @iamsrk
— Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) October 15, 2021
However, the dreams of the triumvirate came crashing down when CSK steamrolled the KKR in the end and registered a comfortable 27-run victory.
Scores of netizens had a tongue-in-cheek response to Rana’s brain-fade with one user disappointed that the Washington Post writer did not use the opportunity to smash ‘Brahmanical Patriarchy’,
“Since it was brahmin Venkatesh Iyer and Rahul Tripathi who won this game for kkr. I thought you will talk about smashing Brahmanical patriarchy instead of celebrating this.” tweeted the user.
Since it was brahmin venkatesh iyer and rahul tripathi who won this game for kkr. i thought you will talk about smashing brahmanical patriarchy instead of celebrating this.
— Priest (@BurnItDownSan) October 13, 2021
Poetic justice pic.twitter.com/HKwP2thAcI
— Boiled Anda 🥚🇮🇳(Modi’s Family) (@AmitLeliSlayer) October 16, 2021
Another user thanked MS Dhoni for doing ‘Poetic Justice’ to the outcome on the field and off-field.
Thank you MSD! https://t.co/ZiaUzPmhZy
— Satyanweshi (@AkashAnuragJha1) October 15, 2021
Some called out their exaggerated love for a Bollywood actor, “I wish SRK would have shown little bit of care for his son’s activities as you are showing for his team”
I wish SRK would have shown little bit of care for his son's activities as you are showing for his team.
— Tushar ॐ♫₹ (@Tushar_KN) October 15, 2021
Journalist Rohan Dua called out Rana and her ilk for brazenly trying to communalize the sport. He tweeted, “For all the endorsements a celeb does to influence society, it was strange to see opinion makers calling a team’s entry into finals of IPL a poetic justice and seeking solidarity as if India’s narcotics investigators committed a sin by seizing drugs involving a star kid. Shocked”
May be the poetic justice was to see the man — who from checking tickets on a rail platform got all ICC prizes to India — lift another IPL trophy & inspire many an Indian.
Just like @msdhoni, the modest man, shared in his retirement video: Mujhse pehle kitne shayar aaye.. pic.twitter.com/gFtN0szg2C
— Rohan Dua (@rohanduaT02) October 15, 2021
KKR did well to reach the playoffs and ultimately the final after it had only won 2 matches in the first leg of the IPL held in India. Not many teams could have turned things around but led by head coach Brendon McCullum and English skipper Eoin Morgan, KKR managed to do a complete 180 by playing an aggressive and fierce brand of cricket.
Read more: “Patriotism is not negotiable” – Lessons from MS Dhoni and Mohan Lal
Aided by the performance of rising Indian youngsters like Venkatesh Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Shubman Gill, and Shivam Mavi, KKR hit the purple patch and nearly won the title.
Read More: Lt. Colonel MS Dhoni to hoist National Flag in Leh on August 15
While the Lutyens media might have trouble digesting the achievement as MS Dhoni — an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army won the title, the captain cool was one of the first people to praise KKR for their incredible in the post-match presentation. Thus showing few communal bigots how one should treat a game of cricket.