The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL 2025 Governing Council had invited the Chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force—General Upendra Dwivedi, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh—to attend the IPL final on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The invitation was made three days ago and had special attention to honor Operation Sindoor, a military response in relation to the Pahalgam terror attack by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. The plan was to honor the armed forces for their bravery in a special segment during the final.

Unfortunately, the three service chiefs will not be attending the IPL 2025 final because of ongoing commitments in relation to Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor was announced as a military action by the Indian Army on April 22, after the attack occurred. The Operation involved military action across the Line of Control and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The result was a suspension of the IPL for a week. Once India and Pakistan had agreed upon conditions for a ceasefire, the IPL resumed with a modified schedule, changing the final from May 26 to June 3 and switching other matches to six IPL venues.

In the resumed IPL season, the BCCI has supported the armed forces. Since the resumption, every match has started with the national anthem, and 'Thank You, Armed Forces' messages have been shown across stadium screens. The IPL final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and either the Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, or Gujarat Titans will honor and pay its respects to the forces and victims as a result of the Pahalgam tragedy. 

Operation Sindoor’s Ongoing Demands

The ongoing demands of Operation Sindoor ensure that the service chiefs maintain focus on national security and do not participate in the IPL final. The BCCI plans to conduct a tribute that will encompass, for example, patriotic imagery and remembering the sacrifices made by the armed forces. 

Also Read: Virat Kohli’s sister reacts passionately as RCB make IPL 2025 final [In Picture]

Though not attending the chiefs, the IPL final will host other military officers and soldiers as a show of solidarity for national unity. Although the BCCI's plan of tribute towards the armed forces will be conducted in the IPL final, the BCCI ultimately remains committed to promoting community through fan exposure of cricket.

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."