Indian fans took Karl Stefanovic's 7-Eleven jibe on the chin and turned it around on the host. Photo / Channel 9
An Australian television host has been slammed on social media after trying out his best sledge against a group of cricket fans ahead of India's World Cup semi-final against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Karl Stefanovic, who once worked as a reporter for One Network News in New Zealand, asked the team of India supporters on the Today show: "Who's going to be manning 7-Elevens [dairies] today?"
"I'm not sure about who's going to be manning 7-Elevens but you might have to look at Centrelink as well I think, Karl," one of the fans hilariously retorted, owning the presenter with their response.
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The comeback caused an uproar of laughter in the Today studio, as Stefanovic said: "What are you going to say to Warner?"
Australian cricketer Dave Warner was famously fined 50 per cent of his match fee after he told Indian batsman Rohit Sharma to "speak English" at the MCG in January.
"Look I'm not sure we can repeat that stuff on TV this early in the morning," the India fan smiled.
"We'll definitely be right into him that's for sure. We'll definitely be speaking in English so he understands," the India fan said.
He later joked that New Zealand cricket fans should be called the "dole bludger army".
Viewers quickly reacted to Stefanovic's 7-Eleven question on social media, with some labelling it "tasteless".
@TitusOReily Not watching today. Planning a Slurpee heist with Karl Stefanovic. #AUSvIND #CWC15
— Elliot Swart (@elliotswart) March 26, 2015
Aust-Ind relations have matured over past 10 years, unlike you @karlstefanovic - watch the #AUSvIND game and stop your basic comments!
— Kamna मुद्दगौनी (@kamnamm) March 25, 2015
Andy Cussen asked: "How does Karl Stefanovic still have a job? Complete muppet."
Megan Maurice said: "You know, you just start to think that maybe Karl Stefanovic isn't that bad after all and then..."
Angus Roberts described his comments as "bit of a tasteless joke".
And Paul Nolan said: "I'm usually a fan of Karl Stefanovic but his 7-11 quip today was inappropriate and offensive."
Oz Breakfast TV host @karlstefanovic has suggested the NZ cricket team be called "the dole bludger army". Goodness me.
— Ruth Wynn-Williams (@RuthWW) March 26, 2015
Amber Monahan went as far as to call him "an embarrassment to thinking Australians".
"How dare you insult contributing members of Australia's economy. You sir are a fool. And Lisa Wilkinson guffawing in the background is hardly much better," she said.
However, Doovalacky Dave called Stefanovic's comments "gold".
The war of the words between India and Australia was not restricted to Stefanovic.
Proving there's no love lost between the two cricket-mad countries, Australia's media accused the Indian team of planning "sabotage", pointing to the influx of Indian supporters who have swamped the stadiums since the start of the tournament.
Under the headline "Sabotage: India baits sledge trap to catch Australia's David Warner and Shane Watson", Sydney's Daily Telegraph claimed the team vowed to bait the two players who have already been embroiled in controversy with the Indian team.
"Rohit Sharma shamelessly admitting India will lay out the bait for the Australian attack dog in Thursday's semifinal at the SCG," the newspaper said.
"If India fails to make it through to Sunday's decider, it seems their plan is to at least bring two Australians down with them.
"India have learnt enough over the past four months to be confident they can get underneath the skin of Australia's most explosive and emotion-charged combatants."
Elsewhere the Telegraph hailed today's game as "one of the most anticipated matches in one-day cricket history".
While admitting the Australians "have struggled for momentum throughout the tournament", it warns that the "performance of the Mitchell Starc-led bowling unit has struck most fear into opponents".
The newspaper also pointed at the large contingent of the Swarmi Army which has descended on Australia since the start of the tournament.
"Despite being more than 10,000km from home, the huge Indian turnout in the crowd has made each of their games feel like a home game. With a reported 70 per cent of tickets at the SCG sold to Indian fans, Thursday's semi-final will be no different."
The Sydney Morning Herald continued this theme, with columnist Malcolm Knox saying "Australian venues have been getting an earful of India ever since a rejuvenated M. S. Dhoni's World Cup juggernaut woke up".
The large number of blue-clad fans will see "India hosting Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground", he said.
"Their Swami Army is but a division in the masses they bring to Sydney. The crowd is likely to be dominated by pale blue shirts, in numbers and also in decibels."
In contrast to the "notably amiable spirit" the Black Caps have shown in their cricket matches, the Australia v India game will be "relentlessly combative".
"Each side has a kennel of attack dogs. Whose will be let out first -- India's Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma or Australia's David Warner and Shane Watson -- will depend on who first begins to feel desperate," he said.
However, he warned that "this could well be the last game of a season for the Australians that started in grief and will end, whatever the result on the field, in sorrow".
"For the winners, whoever they are, there will be home-ground advantage on Sunday."
However, sports writer Andrew Wu said: "India's poor track record in Australia suggests Sunday's final will be a transtasman showdown, but nearly four and a half months in the country is plenty of time for MS Dhoni's side to acclimatise."
The Indian media is also preparing for the big game, with the Times of India describing the showdown as a "gladiatorial contest".
"A battle of nerves beckons, as India and Australia lock horns at the cricketing citadel of the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday in the most intense clash of cricket's greatest carnival -- the ICC World Cup," it said.
The paper suggested the stakes for Australia have soared higher after the Black Caps sealed their place in Sunday's final.
"But one thing is for sure -- there won't be dearth of passion, aggression and verbal volleys (call it sledging if you like). With the likes of Johnson, David Warner and Starc in the ranks, the Indian team will do well to prepare for some taste of Aussie lingo apart from the chin music."
Meanwhile, Australian cricketer Shane Warne has weighed in with his view on who might make the final.
The former bowler tweeted: "To me Australia are the fav's to win the World Cup. They will pushed by a resurgent India tmrw, but I think NZ has won everyone's hearts!"
- With the Daily Mail