Ravi Bopara calms Twitter down with a diplomatic joke

With the world of cricket fans coming to a halt for today for the India v Pakistan encounter, the tension is soaring high for fans of both the sides and the excitement is only defining what the mother of battles actually means to people, the Twitter wars from a tense situation managed to break free for a few moments when Ravi Bopara cracked a joke.

According to ICC, approximately 366 million people are estimated to watch the India v Pakistan match today, making it the third most-watched sporting event in the history after the 2011 World Cup final (India v Sri Lanka, 558m) and semi-final (India v Pakistan, 495m). The figures could even get higher if – unlike previous matches – the game is close.

Television advertising rates for Sunday’s ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final between India and Pakistan are 10 times the normal price now as millions of fans are expected to tune in for a clash that last time ranked among the six most-watched sporting events.

The Champions Trophy group game between the two, a fortnight ago was watched by slightly more, 324 million of which 201 million were in India. So, for all the claims, the game is unlikely to be genuinely record-breaking; it will probably merely be the third most-watched match in the sport’s history.

Still, taking into account all legal and illegal viewing sources on TV and online, those enjoying the game on wide-screen TV and masses being huddled around a single small set, it seems probable that about 400 million will watch at some point on Sunday.

As India take on Pakistan in the final, cricketers around the world expressed their anticipation for the game and Bopara was one of them. When the English cricketer was asked who he was supporting, he brought the tense atmosphere down a few notches with a diplomatic joke saying that he was only supporting his family in order to pay the bills.

You can read the conversation here.