Indian sports analyst and anchorperson Vikrant Gupta receives a warm welcome in Pakistan. Gupta is visiting Pakistan to cover the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being hosted by Pakistan.
Videos and pictures of him receiving a warm reception by Pakistani citizens have gone viral on social media. Gupta is seen enjoying the street food of Lahore and visiting the famous eateries. His fans and followers in Pakistan surround him and take pictures with him wherever he goes.
However, this reception is receiving mixed responses on social media from Pakistani citizens. Many think fellow citizens are going overboard in their hospitality for Vikrant Gupta as many recalled how the Indian anchorperson was against Pakistan hosting the Champions Trophy in his shows and propagated against the Indian team travelling to Pakistan for the event.
Vikrant Gupta appears as a guest on leading TV talk shows in Pakistan, discussing cricket and the performances of Indian and Pakistan’s cricket teams in the tournament.
Some netizens questioned his presence in Pakistan; many argued that while he is safe and travelling freely in Pakistan how could have Indian cricket be unsafe in Pakistan despite giving all the high-level security to the team by the Government of Pakistan.
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Some recalled how Pakistani sports anchor Zainab Abbas was forced return from India when she was visiting India for the coverage of ICC ODI Men’s World Cup 2023 over an old tweet.
“If Pakistanis had even a bit of self-respect, they should’ve remembered how Zainab Abbas was sent back to Pakistan for her few tweets while treating Vikrant Gupta like a vvip guest here who literally called us an unsafe country, what a shame,” said one Pakistani user on social media.
“Pakistan isn’t safe for Indian team but safe enough for Vikrant Gupta to enjoy shakarkandi on the streets of Lahore,” said another netizen on X.