Fact Check: Viral Video Of Afridi, Jay Shah, And Anurag Thakur Is From February's Champions Trophy, Not Asia Cup

Fact Check: Amidst tension between India and Pakistan since the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the cricket match between India and Pakistan also seemed to be affected. Indians protested fiercely on social media against the Asia Cup-2025 match between the two countries and demanded its cancellation. However, it was played at Dubai International Stadium on September 14, 2025, where India defeated Pakistan by seven wickets.

Now, linking it to the Asia Cup, a video of BJP MP Anurag Thakur, BCCI President Jay Shah, and former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is going viral, where all three can be seen sitting together in the stadium and watching the match. It is being shared with the claim that all three were seated together to watch the India-Pakistan match of the Asia Cup.

Vishvas News investigated and found that the viral claim is misleading. The video is not of the Asia Cup match but of the Champions Trophy match held in February. The old video is now being shared with a misleading claim.

What is going viral?

Facebook user 'Iftikhar Ahmed' shared the viral video on September 15, 2025, with the caption, "Anurag Thakur, Jai Shah and Shahid Afridi watching the India-Pakistan match at the stadium."

Investigation

To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, we analysed the video closely and found the Champion Trophy’s poster in the background.

Based on the information received, we conducted a Google search using relevant keywords and found this picture on a Facebook page named ‘Cricket Lovers’, shared on February 26, 2025.

We also found the viral video shared on several other social media platforms in February 2025, claiming it to be from the Champions Trophy.

During the investigation, we found a related report published on the Free Press Journal’s website on February 24, 2025. According to the report, “Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray had taunted Anurag Thakur for watching the match sitting with former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi during the India-Pakistan match. He also shared a photo of Anurag Thakur and Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi sitting together.”

Other news reports can be seen here.

According to the information available on Espncricinfo’s website, “A match was held between India and Pakistan on February 23, 2025, during the ICC Champions Trophy, won by India.”

According to a report published on Dainik Jagran's website on September 15, 2025, "After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam this year, India had carried out Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. After this, there was a lot of opposition in the country regarding the Indian team playing against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. A section did not want our team to play the Asia Cup match against the team of the neighboring country. There was pressure on the Indian team regarding this. A day before the match, the team management had talked to its players about the protest on the internet media and the behavior with the Pakistani team. After India won the match, the Pakistani team kept waiting for the Indian team to shake hands, but the Indian team did not shake hands with them in protest against the Pahalgam terrorist attack. After this, the Pakistani team did not come to the prize distribution ceremony."

For more information, we contacted sports analyst, journalist, and commentator Syed Hussain, who confirmed that the viral claim is false and the video is old.

Lastly, we scanned the Facebook account of the user who shared the video with the misleading claim. and found that the user shares posts related to a specific ideology and has over 6000 followers.

Conclusion: Vishvas News, in its investigation, found that the viral video is misleading. It is not from the Asia Cup India-Pakistan match, but from the Champions Trophy held in February. The old video is now being shared with a misleading claim.