A set of two photos claiming to show Indian cricketer Mohammed Siraj offering namaz on the field in Rajkot ahead of the India vs New Zealand match, while his teammates are seen clicking pictures in the background, are AI-generated.
BOOM found that the viral photos of Siraj are not real and were generated using Artificial Intelligence. AI detection tools such as HIVE Moderation confirmed that the images are AI-generated.
The New Zealand men’s cricket team is currently touring India, having won the ODI series 2–1 against the hosts, with a five-match T20 series underway. The second ODI was held in Rajkot, Gujarat on January 14, which New Zealand won by seven wickets.
The Claim: Photos show Mohammed Siraj performing Zuhr and Asr prayers before the match at Saurashtra Stadium Rajkot
The two photos are being shared on Facebook with the captions in English and Hindi: "Faith and strength converge in a defining moment, Mohammad Siraj performs Zuhr and Asr prayers before the match at Saurashtra Stadium Rajkot, uncompromising in his dedication to Salah, as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, and Shreyas Iyer stand by with reverence, A new history is forged, faith prevails, cricket yields to spirituality"
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What We Found:
1) AI Detection Tool Results
We ran the viral photos through HIVE Moderation, an AI-detection tool, which flagged both visuals as likely AI-generated with a confidence score of 99.9%. The tool also indicated a strong likelihood that the images were created using generative AI models.
2) Factual inconsistencies:
The photos contain multiple factual inaccuracies. In the first photo, Jasprit Bumrah is seen standing in the background. However Bumrah was not being selected for the ongoing India vs New Zealand series. In the second photo, the Indian team’s jersey bears BYJU’S logo, even though BYJU’S ceased to be the team’s sponsor in 2023 and Apollo Tyres is the current sponsor. Additionally, we did not find any credible news reports on Siraj offering prayers on the field during the second ODI in Rajkot.