Broadcaster receives backlash for using Hardik Pandya's picture over Rohit Sharma for India-Pakistan clash in T20 World Cup 2024

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule for the T20 World Cup 2024 on Friday, January 05. Meanwhile, the marquee clash between India and Pakistan will be held in New York on June 09 during the 2024 edition of the event. On the same lines, Star Sports, the official broadcaster for the tournament, was on the receiving end of controversies following the poster announcement for the fixture between the arch rivals.

Notably, Star Sports used Hardik Pandya and Shaheen Shah Afridi's pictures for announcing the hyped clash. However, Indian fans showed massive criticism to the broadcaster for not using mainstay skipper Rohit Sharma's picture in the official poster. Rohit Sharma is currently the designated captain of the Indian team, and Hardik has taken over the leadership only when Rohit isn't available.

It is also important to note that the Nagpur-born hasn't played a T20I since India's ouster from the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in the semi-final clash against England, who later went on to win the tournament. Since then, Hardik, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ruturaj Gaikwad have assumed captaincy roles for the Men in Blue in the 20-over format.

While it is true that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Shaheen as the designated skipper in the shortest format, the leadership role for the Indian team remains ambiguous. The 36-year-old has also expressed his will to continue playing the format, at least till the World Cup. Thus, displaying Hardik in the poster took the fans by shock.

The Rohit-Hardik row started just ahead of the Indian Premier League auctions, when Mumbai Indians traded the latter in an infamous trade from Gujarat Titans. Later, the champion franchise also announced Pandya as the captain, to which fans were furious. The removal of Rohit as the leader came as a shocker for the MI fans, as he had led them to all the five titles they have won previously.

Here's how netizens reacted to the poster: