The intense rivalry between India and Pakistan extended to the football field during the SAFF U-17 Championship in Sri Lanka, mirroring the heightened emotions seen in the Asia Cup cricket matches. The youth football match became a flashpoint, with provocative celebrations from the Pakistani team drawing parallels to sensitive incidents from recent India-Pakistan military confrontations. Pakistani forward Muhammad Abdullah, after scoring a goal, performed a “tea-drinking” gesture, which was quickly interpreted by Indian fans as a reference to the 2019 arrest of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who had famously quipped about the ‘fantastic’ tea he was offered while in Pakistani custody. Adding to the controversy, Abdullah’s celebration also seemed to simulate an airplane crash, which many linked to the recent on-field gestures by Pakistani cricketers that were perceived as mocking the downing of Indian planes. Despite these contentious displays, India’s U-17 team rallied, securing a 3-2 victory, with Rahan Ahmed scoring the winning goal. The win placed India at the top of Group B, setting up a semi-final clash with Nepal, while Pakistan will face Bangladesh in their semi-final match.
