'Please stop it': England star requests fans to stop trolling for labelling a former CSK star as 'joker'
Former England star Kevin Pietersen has come in defense of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Ambati Rayudu after the latter was the victim of social media trolls.
What had happened was during the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) final pre-match show, Rayudu and Pietersen were attired in the colours of the respective teams they were supporting.
However, after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) outclassed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the summit clash, Rayudu had apparently changed his orange waistcoat to something blue.
Show presenter Mayanti Langer was quick to spot it. To that Pietersen had said, “I’ve at least held firm. I wore it and I owned it. You are a joker, always a joker.”
While it was all done in jest and banter, fans took the matter into their own hands and escalated it with vicious and brutal trolls targeted at Rayudu.
ALSO READ: 'You are a joker': Former RCB player trolls Ambati Rayudu on live TV
Pietersen urges fans to reduce 'tribalism against Indian players'
Things went so far that Pietersen had to take to his social media account on X (formerly Twitter) and put out a post urging and requesting fans to reduce the 'tribalism against Indian players'.
Pietersen wrote, "Come on guys! This tribalism with/against Indian players on social media needs to slow down!
Example -@RayuduAmbati and I were messing around after the IPL final and all of sudden that banter has turned into an avalanche of abuse towards Ambati.
PLEASE stop it?"
Come on guys!
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) May 28, 2024
This tribalism with/against Indian players on social media needs to slow down!
Example - @RayuduAmbati and I were messing around after the IPL final and all of sudden that banter has turned into an avalanche of abuse towards Ambati.
PLEASE stop it? 🙏🏽
Speaking about the IPL 2024 Final, KKR bowlers did a tremendous job to restrict SRH to the lowest-ever total in an IPL Final.
Chasing a paltry target of 114, the Kolkata outfit wrapped up the proceedings with 57 balls and eight wickets to spare.
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