Star Sports finds itself in a controversy as India-South Africa cupcake ad backfires

New Delhi: Official T20 World Cup broadcaster Star Sports has pulled a high-profile advertisement from its social media platforms after it backfired spectacularly following India’s 76-run loss to South Africa on Sunday.

The advert, which fans have dubbed #CupcakeGate, featured an Indian supporter mockingly offering a pink cupcake to a South African fan in a cafe. The promo leveraged two provocative themes: South Africa’s historical reputation as "chokers" in ICC events and a play on "Cupcake," a well-known domestic nickname for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The campaign was intended to build excitement for the Super 8 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In the clip, the Indian fan taunts his counterpart about India's victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, suggesting a repeat performance was inevitable.

While the campaign was deleted across Star Sports’ social media handles, it is still available on Twitter.

South Africa defeated India in a one-sided match, and Star Sports has deleted this offensive ad it made for this particular encounter.

Perhaps this episode will teach our ad makers that arrogance masquerading as marketing is neither clever nor graceful.
pic.twitter.com/uK9W96p95Y

— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) February 22, 2026

However, reality proved different on the pitch:

• The Result: South Africa posted 187/7 and proceeded to bowl India out for 111, handing the Men in Blue a heavy T20 World Cup defeat.

• The Streak: The loss ended India’s 18-match unbeaten run in ICC white-ball cricket.

The advertisement faced criticism even before the match, with viewers in both nations calling it "arrogant" and "distasteful." South African fans have since turned the "cupcake" metaphor into a celebratory meme. Viral videos show Proteas supporters eating cupcakes while pointing to the lopsided scorecard.

Further, sports analysts and former players (including Joy Bhattacharjya and Pradeep Magazine) have slammed the "Mauka Mauka" style of aggressive marketing, calling it "arrogant," "condescending," and a "jinx" for the Indian team. 

Beyond the marketing embarrassment, the defeat has left India’s semi-final hopes in a precarious position. With a significantly damaged Net Run Rate (NRR), India now faces "must-win" scenarios in their remaining Super 8 fixtures against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

Star Sports has not issued a formal statement regarding the withdrawal of the campaign.