Following Afghanistan's loss to India in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup cricket match, an image began circulating on social media alongside claims that it shows the word "fix" appearing on electronic advertising hoardings around the field during the match. However, the image has been doctored; video footage of the match shows the letters "FTX" on the hoardings, the logo of a cryptocurrency trading platform.
The altered image was posted here on Twitter on November 4, 2021. It has been retweeted over 500 times.
The tweet's caption reads: "Well 'Played' Afghanistan but whot was that behaviour #fixed #Afghanistan #INDvsAFG #RashidKhan."
The image shows the word "fix" emblazoned on advertising boards just outside the boundary during the match between India and Afghanistan on November 3, 2021, which India won by 66 runs.
Screenshot of the misleading post. Taken on November 8, 2021 ( AFP / )
Following India's victory some people claimed on social media that the match was fixed to give India the win, Pakistani outlet Geo News reported.
Comments on the tweet with the altered image showed some users appeared to believe the claim that the word "fix" had been shown during the match. One wrote: "It was done for helping Afghan players to remember that they are playing a fixed match," followed by a laughing emoji.
Another user believed that: "fix was written to tribute all pakistani (sic)," in a comment that went on to insult Pakistani users who supported the allegation of match fixing.
The image was shared alongside similar claims in Twitter posts here, here, here and here; and on Facebook here, here, here and here.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC), the body governing global cricket, posted a video of the match on its Facebook page which shows the letters "FTX" instead of the word "fix" at the 0.44 minute mark. FTX announced a partnership with the ICC in October 2021.
Below is a screenshot of the image in the misleading posts (left) and the matching scene from the ICC video (right):