India targets 15-year-old Pakistani player, gets exposed

Pakistan's U16 Davis Cup campaign in Kazakhstan ended with a tough 0-2 loss against India in the 11th-place playoff match of the Asia-Oceania Junior Davis Cup. However, Indian media once again turned a sporting event into a propaganda opportunity by targeting a 15-year-old Pakistani player through a misleading video.

A short video clip went viral three days after the match, showing the young Pakistani player appearing frustrated and making a hand gesture, followed by a shrug. Indian media outlets quickly twisted the footage, labelling the player as aggressive and unsportsmanlike. This one-sided narrative was widely circulated on Indian social media, triggering a wave of hateful comments from Indian users on X (formerly Twitter).

Pakistani sports journalist Faizan Lakhani, however, stepped in to clarify the truth and call out the biased reporting.

"Give the kid a break. He's only 15 years old. He lost the match from a leading position and was frustrated with himself after such a tense game. Post the full video showing the player's frustration after the loss, including how he cried afterwards. In the video, he can be heard saying, 'I'm not mad at you'," Lakhani stated.

Give the kid a break - he's only 15 years old. He lost the match from a leading position and was frustrated with himself after such a tense game. Post the full video showing the player's frustration after the loss, including how he cried afterward. In the video, he can be heard… https://t.co/NXUNkTDGKT pic.twitter.com/MhtT4MTyzW

— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) May 28, 2025

He further added, "The coaches from both sides shook hands as well. If there had been anything unsportsmanlike, the ITF would have fined the Pakistan team. Targeting a 15-year-old kid to push your hateful agenda is pathetic stuff."

The full version of the video, which Indian media did not show, captures the emotional moment when the Pakistani player breaks down in tears. His frustration was clearly directed at himself, not his Indian opponent. He even clarified during the interaction that he held no anger toward the Indian player.

Yet, Indian social media users on X have posted abusive, hateful, and vulgar remarks directed at the 15-year-old Pakistani player.