Picture Credit: Twitter/@cricketworldcup
The viral meme of a Pakistani fan from ICC World Cup 2019 was undoubtedly one of the biggest talking points off the field during the event. During a match between Australia and Pakistan, the latter had a very disappointing day on the field. When Asif Ali dropped a very easy catch of David Warner at third man, the cameras captured a footage of a fan standing behind the boundary lines with an absolutely disappointed expression.
My phone was ringing through the night: Sarim Akhtar
It was later revealed that the fan's name was Muhammad Sarim Akhtar who became an overnight sensation on social media because of his pose which has since then been used in many hilarious memes. The Pakistani fan recently recalled the incident and revealed how things unfolded post that match.
“After my name was leaked, I got thousands of friend requests on Facebook and my phone was ringing through the night. It went way beyond the cricket space, especially in countries like Uganda, Botswana, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It’s relatable because it fits into any situation that involves an unpopular decision”, Sarim told VICE India.
He also went on to narrate a very funny incident when one person in Europe asked him if he could use Sarim's face on his credit card. The man hilariously revealed that the disappointed expression would prevent him from using his card too often.
Interestingly, Sarim went on to become a public figure since then and has around 34K followers on Instagram. He keeps on sharing funny memes of himself on his social media account. When a picture of an Indian fan was captured during WTC final few days back, Sarim re-posted that image on his account with a caption "Best of Luck" suggesting that he could be the new meme sensation.