Latest update:June 27, 2026 09:43 EST
Cricket fans have expressed disappointment over the huge Sony LIV advertisement during the India vs Ireland match which was disrupting their viewing experience.
User X makes fun of Sony LIVโs huge advertisements by editing a meme. (@RoshanKrRaii)
The Shreyas Iyer-led Indian cricket team faced Ireland in the first match of the two-match T20I series in Belfast on Friday and suffered a shock defeat. The three-time world champions were beaten by the team that took 11th place. Chasing Irelandโs score of 182/9, India were bowled out by 34 runs. While the Indian contingent was left red after being bowled out for 148, it was a joy for the Irish who recorded their first-ever win over India in any format of cricket.
Cricket fans in India were already upset by the defeat. But the result wasnโt the only thing worrying them on Friday night. The broadcast of the match on Sony LIV was noticed by hundreds of viewers who were unhappy with the huge advertising posted next to the field, which moved during the game.
Why Sony LIV went viral on X
Outrage over the quality of the matchโs broadcast soon became a trending topic on X, with many users complaining that it fell far short of the standards expected from cricket broadcasting countries such as New Zealand, Australia and England.
Read also: Why was Maradonaโs goal against England at the 1986 World Cup called the โgoal of the centuryโ?
OTT viewers called it an unpleasant experience. Advertising banners continued to obstruct players during gameplay, at times preventing them from seeing how they were playing. This degraded the quality of the broadcast, they added.
The complaints grew louder by the minute.
โWhy do these advertisements move across the screen immediately after the ball is bowled? Terrible. Cameras are everywhere now,โ complained user X (@imRohit_SN).
Some used a sarcastic approach to make their voices heard.
โWhy canโt they put advertising on the pitch? It would look better and they could even add it on the sides. Iโd add some banners for the players so when they run they have a nice banner flying behind them.โ
Sony LIV ridiculed by meme edits
Memes have taken over amid frustration with fast-paced digital advertising.
Many others expressed their frustration with alleged login errors and endless loops that prevented them from watching the match at all.
Great victory for Ireland
Not only was Irelandโs victory historic, the country did something no other opponent had done to India in two decades of playing in the shortest format: recovered from being down four wickets in under 60 runs to beat India. Ireland were struggling at 51/4 after 7.1 overs before coming back strongly to post 182/9 in the allotted 20 overs. Irelandโs rebound in play was complemented by an outstanding bowling performance against a team that had won back-to-back T20I titles in the last two tournaments.
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About the author
Anurag Verma
Anurag Verma, News Editor, News18.com, works independently in the Viral section. Bollywood, Cricket, Science, Technology, YouTube, Reddit, Meme Origins and anything related to pop culture are his forte. It coversโฆRead more
News Explainers Sony LIVโs T20I broadcast in India and Ireland comes under fire due to meme edits, hereโs whyDisclaimer: Comments reflect the views of users and not of News18. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory or illegal comments will be deleted. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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