7 hours ago
Last Updated:June 16, 2025, 10:18 IST
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has sparked widespread ridicule after claiming in Parliament that Pakistani "cyber warriors" were behind a blackout during an IPL 2025.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif (Photo: AP)
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is being mocked after he claimed his country’s “cyber warriors" hacked floodlights during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.
In a video, widely being shared on social media, Asif could also be saying that his “cyber warriors" also accessed Indian dam gates as part of a cyber attack on India.
Speaking in the national assembly, Asif said, “The IPL was stopped and the lights of the stadium were turned off, waters in the dams were released, all these cyber attacks were done by our children."
Asif’s comments came more than a month after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, against Pakistan, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
As his comments were widely shared, social media users trolled him, saying Pakistan should “first pay their due electricity bill online".
“I didn’t know Cyber has different concepts and syllabus in Pakistan!" another comment read.
“IPL floodlights don’t run on WiFi, they run on secure electrical systems. You can’t hack them like a home router. Next time, try hacking the scoreboard—at least it has buttons," a third user commented on the viral video.
“Even China and the USA are asking – How did Pakistanis do this magic?" another one commented.
The IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala was called off on Thursday (May 8) after just 10.1 overs of action.
Later, in an official statement, BCCI revealed the decision was taken due to a power outage caused by a significant technical failure in the area and regretted the inconvenience caused to the in-stadium attendees.
Before their official statement, reports claimed that the floodlights went dim at the venue midway due to security reasons following air raid alerts in nearby areas amid escalating tensions on the India-Pakistan border, which forced a blackout in the hill town.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
News world 'Pakistan Hacked IPL Floodlights, Released Waters In Dam': Khawaja Asif's Bizarre Claim Goes Viral
