Alex Hales, the England cricketer who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, became the subject of a Twitter controversy after a fake account in his name posted a provocative message aimed at India. The tweet sparked a heated exchange between Indian and Pakistani fans, who took sides in the online feud.
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England's T20 World Cup-winning opener announced his retirement from international cricket at 34. The opener was a key figure in England's shift to white-ball cricket under Eoin Morgan following the 2015 World Cup and their victory in the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, a fake account using his name incited a verbal war between Indian and Pakistani fans on Twitter.
The fake account, which has the handle @rixzz177 and uses the same display picture as Hales, wrote: "After an incredible journey on the pitch, it’s time to bid farewell to this chapter of my life. Grateful for the memories, the camaraderie, and the love of the game. Thank you all for your unwavering support! 170-0 is still one of the most memorable innings of my career."
The tweet referred to Hales' unbeaten 86 off 47 balls in England's 10-wicket win over India in T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final. England chased down India's total of 168-6 thanks to Hales and Jos Buttler’s unbroken stand of 170 runs for the opening wicket.
The tweet from the fake account did not go down well with the Indian fans, who felt that it was disrespectful and arrogant. They slammed the account for mocking India and questioned Hales' credentials as a cricketer. Some also pointed out that the account wasn’t verified and that Hales had announced his retirement on Instagram, not Twitter.
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On the other hand, some Pakistani fans enjoyed the tweet and praised Hales for his knock against India. They also taunted the Indian fans for being sore losers and reminded them of their recent defeats against Pakistan in various formats. The real Alex Hales, who has no verified badge on Twitter, did not comment on the matter. He posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, thanking his fans and teammates for their support throughout his career.
