Sports
Hanumankind powers up India–Pakistan T20 match with electric performance
Thums Up turns World Cup thriller into thunderous live spectacle
COLOMBO: When India meets Pakistan on the cricket field, subtlety rarely makes the playing XI. At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup showdown, Thums Up ensured the atmosphere matched the rivalry, dialling the drama all the way up with a stadium-shaking live performance by Hanumankind.
Living its punchy philosophy of Aaj Kuch Toofani Karte Hain, the billion-rupee brand transformed match day into a full-blown “Taste the Thunder” moment. As a packed stadium buzzed with anticipation, LED screens flickered with Thums Up’s signature static-glitch visuals before a razor-sharp countdown sliced through the noise. Then came the drop.
Hanumankind stormed the stage with Taste the Thunder, backed by coordinated lighting, smoke bursts and aerial choreography that turned the ground into a livewire arena. The set built steadily before exploding into a high-energy finale led by Kings United India, bringing together hip-hop, dance and cricket in one tightly choreographed crescendo. By the end, the crowd was not just watching the match. It was part of the spectacle.
“It’s incredible to perform at a match like this one. You can feel the energy in the air,” said Hanumankind. “Being able to do this with Thums Up is special. It’s a good time to be a fan of sport.”
The anthem itself blends Hanumankind’s gritty street verses with Vishal Dadlani’s commanding hooks, creating a track that feels as charged as a last-over finish. First unveiled at a press showcase in Mumbai, the song has quickly struck a chord for its raw sound and fearless attitude.
Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia category head sparkling flavours Sumeli Chatterjee said, “A match like this becomes a marker in cricketing history, not just for fans of the two teams but for the sport as a whole. The atmosphere in the stadium was absolutely electric. With his raw, unfiltered energy, Hanumankind made ‘Aaj Kuch Toofani Karte Hain’ the perfect clarion call for the moment and the match.”
As cricket commanded the pitch and music ruled the stands, Thums Up stitched the two into a single, high-voltage experience. From studio speakers to stadium roars, Taste the Thunder proved that when the rivalry is fierce, only one flavour fits. Toofan.
Sports
How brands reacted to India’s thrilling T20 semi-final victory
Brands cash in on chaos as fans, memes & celebs fuel post-match buzz after India’s 7-run thriller.
MUMBAI: The boundaries weren’t the only thing being smashed at Wankhede, the internet itself hit a social-media six (or seven, Thala style) as brands raced to capitalise on the high-octane drama of India’s 253/7 followed by England’s 246/7 thriller.
Sanju Samson’s explosive 89 off 42 balls became instant brand catnip. Star Sports fired off reels syncing his towering sixes to pounding beats, captioning one viral clip, “Samson’s Sunday became India’s Super Sunday” racking up millions of views in hours. Fantasy platform Dream11 leaned hard into the jackpot vibe with live leaderboards screaming “Samson scored 89… how many points did YOU score?” and player cards that flooded every feed.
Jasprit Bumrah’s death-over wizardry inspired sharp, quick-witted hits too. A major sports broadcaster dropped a graphic of his final-over yorkers with the cheeky line “When Bumrah bowls, even death gets nervous” pure engagement bait that exploded in shares. Hardik Pandya’s ice-cool 2/38 in the crunch overs got similar love: quick-commerce brands jumped in with punny creatives like “We deliver sixes faster than England chased, congrats India!” linked to flash discounts for “semi-final survivors”.
Axar Patel’s boundary-line stunner (fans dubbing him “Bapu the Boundary Boss”) sparked sticker storms, while Jacob Bethell’s valiant 105 off 48 earned classy, respectful nods even Indian brands posted “What a fight from Bethell!” graphics to show good sportsmanship pays off in likes.
Abhishek Sharma’s early exit? The meme tsunami of “off-spinner wali bimari” jokes kept rolling, with brands wisely steering clear but riding the wave through fan-reaction compilations. The seven-run margin triggered endless “Thala for a reason” graphics invoking MS Dhoni’s No. 7 legacy, amplified by his and Sakshi’s adorable premature-celebration clip (her jump, his grin) that melted timelines.
Brands went all-in with victory posts straight from their official handles:
India Post celebrated the qualification with a clever tie-in: “Team India secured the final You secure your family’s future with Postal Life Insurance! Howzzat for a winning partnership!! #IndvsEngland #Semifinal #TeamIndia”
- KEI Industries cheered: “Congratulations Team India for reaching the T20 World Cup Final! One step away from the trophy. #t20worldcup2026 #teamindia #semifinal #INDvsENG”
- Polycab India posted triumphantly: “That’s how it’s done! Congratulations Team India for powering through the semi-finals.” (complete with a branded graphic nodding to their “India’s Safe Happy Connection” tagline).
- Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) shared: “Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) congratulates Team India for a spectacular victory in the semi-final. Your outstanding performance, determination, and exceptional team spirit have made the entire nation proud. Wishing Team India the very best for the final.”
Budweiser India joined the celebratory chorus with a crisp line that echoed the mood of the night: “Another match. Another reason to celebrate.”
Marketing pages and aggregators like Moves Of Marketing compiled collages of these topical creatives under #MomentMarketing, while others highlighted how brands turned the thriller into instant campaigns from fantasy hype and discount drops to respectful shout-outs.
Celebrities turned up the glamour dial even higher. Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and little Raha’s wholesome cheering videos went mega-viral, with Raha’s innocent claps stealing hearts. Dhoni and Rohit Sharma spotted in the Ambani box added extra star power. Hindi movie heavyweights flooded feeds, Ajay Devgn posted “Loved every minute of this match! #TeamIndia played like absolute champs. On to the finals now.” Kareena Kapoor Khan reposted the team’s final-qualifying graphic with hearts, smiles and rainbows. Anil Kapoor shared “Proud of our boys”, Sonu Sood wrote “Mera Bharat Mahan, 1.4 Billion hearts celebrating this win… Ab bas cup ghar aane wala hai #TeamIndia”, Anupam Kher declared “Ye mera Indiaaaaaaa! Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Jai Hind!”, Suniel Shetty and Raveena Tandon joined the celebration chorus, and even actor Shailesh Lodha chimed in praising Sanju Samson’s “excellent innings”.
One sharp sponsor summed it up neatly: “SEMI FINAL FINAL LOADING…” with a clean graphic celebrating the dream run.
With the final against New Zealand on March 8 in Ahmedabad looming, expect the brand parade and the memes to keep smashing records. Cricket fever? More like marketing mayhem. Pass the chai, the show’s far from over.
