The politicization and polarization of the Afghanistan cricket team on Twitter (X): A critical discourse analysis approach

The role of sport in fostering social cohesion versus driving division remains a debated topic among scholars. As a significant cultural phenomenon deeply embedded in daily life and closely tied to physical and mental well-being, this topic warrants critical examination. This study, using Twitter data ( N = 500 tweets), investigates the politicization and polarization of Afghanistan cricket teams among Twitter users of this country. Employing critical discourse analysis, the findings demonstrated that the cricket team's alleged relationship with the Taliban and the lack of transparent justification exacerbated polarization among supporters and critics. Additionally, the discourse extended beyond the cricket itself, touching on underlying factors such as ethnonationalism and identity politics, which deepened the social divisions surrounding the team. The analysis guided by the ideology square framework highlights the tactics used by both sides, including coordinated hashtag campaigns to validate their position and promote in-group mobilization, alongside tactics such as derogation, labeling, blaming, accusation, ad hominem attacks, and othering to undermine the opponent. Moreover, the volatile and multimodal nature of online discourse offers valuable insights and implications.