Pakistan captain strikes back with ruthless riposte to Dinesh Karthik's tweet: 'We have the real trophy'

Pakistan’s Hong Kong Sixes title win has sparked a full-blown social media subplot, with captain Muhammad Shahzad firing a perfectly timed dig at Dinesh Karthik after lifting the trophy in Mong Kok.

What started as a light-hearted post from the India captain after their opening win over Pakistan turned into ammunition for Shahzad once the tournament reached its climax.

From ‘fun start’ to ‘fun end’

India began their Hong Kong Sixes campaign, edging Pakistan by two runs via DLS. Riding that high, Dinesh Karthik posted a cheeky message on X: “Fun start to Hong Kong sixes. Winning against Pak.

However, it remained India’s only real high point. After the opener, Karthik’s side went on to lose to Kuwait, UAE, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, crashing out with just that solitary win against Pakistan to show for their efforts.

Pakistan, meanwhile, treated the early defeat as a stumble and got themselves back on track very quickly. They regrouped, swept through the rest of the event, and reached the final, where they outclassed a giant-killing Kuwait side. After piling up a strong total, Pakistan’s bowlers choked the chase to seal a 43-run win and claim their sixth Hong Kong Sixes crown, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

Also Read: Pakistan cricketer recreates Hardik Pandya's iconic pose after winning Hong Kong Sixes for record sixth time

Once the trophy was in the bag, Muhammad Shahzad chose his moment. Posting pictures with the silverware and his jubilant teammates, the Pakistan captain echoed Karthik’s wording but flipped the script: “Fun end to the Hong Kong sixes. Business as usual.”

The phrase “WeHaveARealTrophy” did the rest. The post went viral within minutes, with Pakistan celebrating the ultimate comeback - not just on the field but on the timeline as well.

For India, the contrast was brutal: a ‘fun start’ built on one marquee win; for Pakistan, a ‘fun end’ sealed with the only thing that truly counts in sport - a trophy.

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