Srinagar, August 30, 2023: An edited photo circulating on social media has caused confusion among netizens, as it falsely depicts the live broadcast of Pakistan’s cricket match on big screens in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk.
The original image which was captured by Srinagar-based photojournalist Basit Zargar on August 23, 2023, showing the live landing of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 on August 23 was manipulated and edited with a picture of Babar Azam’s batting.
The edited viral image, initially shared by a Pakistani cricket page, claimed that locals in Srinagar were glued to the screens to witness Babar Azam’s performance during the Asia Cup match between Pakistan and Nepal. However, upon investigation, it was revealed that the original image showcased the live landing of Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram module on the moon.
People in Srinagar watch and celebrate the successful lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the south pole of the Moon. pic.twitter.com/xC18R1oonr
— Basit Zargar (باسط) (@basiitzargar) August 23, 2023
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), successfully accomplished its lunar landing around 6 pm on Wednesday, August 23. The landing module Vikram, named after the visionary scientist Vikram Sarabhai, separated from the propulsion module on August 17. The event was broadcast live across India, including in the iconic Lal Chowk of Srinagar.
The misleading photo’s caption, “Lal Chowk, picturesque scenery of Kashmir. Everyone was watching King Babar Azam’s batting,” erroneously led viewers to believe that the crowd in Lal Chowk was watching the cricket match. This misinformation spread widely, highlighting the importance of verifying sources before sharing content online.
In reality, Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed’s impressive centuries led Pakistan to a resounding victory by 238 runs, marking a successful start to their Asia Cup campaign.
This incident serves as a reminder to be cautious while consuming and sharing information on social media, ensuring the accuracy of images and captions before contributing to their dissemination.
For accurate updates on both cricket matches and space events, it’s crucial to rely on credible sources and fact-check information before sharing it with others.
Bottom Line:
No, Babar Azam’s batting wasn’t screened live on big screens in Lal Chowk. The original image captures the live landing of Chandrayaan and the crowd’s engagement at Lal Chowk, Srinagar. The viral image was manipulated to depict Babar Azam’s batting instead.
Original Tweet/Photo:
https://twitter.com/basiitzargar/status/1694353072066334799?t=qhu7uY1mb-afx8wI6Mtdrw&s=19
