In the wake of Operation Sindoor, India's military retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, a peculiar name suddenly started trending on social media: Richard Kettleborough, the normally stoic English cricket umpire.

There were whispers on social media speculating that Kettleborough had made a subtle "dig" against Pakistan after the Indian Army's cross-border actions. Amusing as it is to some, let's correct this - there is no authenticated statement, comment, or even a whisper from Kettleborough about the military action or Pakistan's political conditions.

Famous for his strict rulings on the field, Kettleborough has always been impartial in his professional approach, never venturing into political statements. The recent allegations appear to have originated from a meme or parody post that went viral, demonstrating how easily fiction can pass for fact in the current social media environment.

watch the video:

Live Visuals 🚨

~ Celebrations have started in Balochistan after India's 🇮🇳 Operation Sindhoor against Pakistan 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/zeg2lBI1zB

— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) May 7, 2025

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A cricket umpire’s name trends amid online chaos as fake videos and rumors swirl after Operation Sindoor

While this, the consequence of Operation Sindoor has prompted a spate of online responses. A number of Pakistani social media accounts shared video clips purportedly depicting retaliatory attacks only for eagle-eyed observers to recognize the footage as part of popular video games such as ARMA 3 or Call of Duty. The blunder prompted a spate of memes and derisive comments, with Indian netizens ridiculing the attempt to present gameplay as actual war.

watch the video:

🚨 Big Victory for Pakistan 🇵🇰

~ Pakistani X handles uploading video game footage, that's a big victory for Pakistan Air Force on Game Play 😅

~ What's your take on this 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ueEu5vYJNk

— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) May 7, 2025

Others, meanwhile, alerted on social media to the supposed festive fireworks across Balochistan though unverified reports. Some saw it as symbolic solidarity for India's attack against terror strongholds, while others said it was propaganda.

As tensions brew between the two nuclear neighbors, the war over words online persists to escalate many times crossing over into the boundaries of satire, disinformation, and legitimate reportage.

It is certain that Richard Kettleborough is not moonlighting as a military expert. His name trending after a cross-border raid testifies more about the culture of the internet than the nature of international strife.

In the era of voice-converted AI and headline-fueled memes, checking the source is more critical than ever particularly when the name at stake is more famous for "out" and "not out" than "attack" and "retaliation."