The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have already started making war cries well before the start of the 2019 season, thanks to a seemingly harmless tweet from recovering India all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
On Tuesday, the Mumbai Indian player shared a tweet with a photo capturing his elder brother Krunal and the West Indian Kieron Pollard.
I had to hold my phone pretty high to fit Big Polly into the frame ð Happy to see you again my brother ð ⤠pic.twitter.com/lNXnI89B4E
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 13, 2018
The Mumbai-based franchise feasted on the opportunity to flaunt their trio of all-rounders, challenging others to"Find a better allrounder trio. We will wait"
SunRisers Hyderabad replied with a message, which read: "The wait is over", and it carried a photo of Afghan duo Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi and Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan.
Find a better allrounder trio. We will wait â³ð #CricketMeriJaan @hardikpandya7 @KieronPollard55 @krunalpandya24 https://t.co/wBnnKrVdF9
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 13, 2018
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings, in their response, wrote "Moondru Mugam", which translates into 'Three faces'. And their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was there, in three shades.
Moondru Mugam ð¦ÂÂð¦ÂÂð¦ÂÂ#Thala #WhistlePodu ð pic.twitter.com/0thaMqeIE1
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) November 13, 2018
Kolkata Knight Riders have their own trio, in Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Jacques Kallis.
Did someone say allrounders? ðÂÂÂÂÂÂ@Russell12A @SunilPNarine74 @jacqueskallis75
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) November 13, 2018
3,945 IPL runs and 221 IPL wickets in one collage! ðÂÂÂÂÂÂ#KorboLorboJeetbo pic.twitter.com/ooG9PYdNne
But Indians flashed their three IPL trophies.
The wait goes on...ðÂÂÂðÂÂÂð pic.twitter.com/uDeM0WImIt
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) November 13, 2018
They are the most successful team, along with Super Kings, in the tournament. Both the teams have won the tournament three times each, while Knight Riders have won it twice.