Pakistan performed Sri Lanka on 10 October within the ongoing World Cup 2023 which led to Pakistan’s victory. Now, Muhammad Rizwan who managed to attain a century within the match has devoted his nation’s win to “brothers and sisters in Gaza.” He additionally thanked the Indian viewers and added, “Extremely grateful to the people of Hyderabad for the amazing hospitality and support throughout.”
This was for our brothers and sisters in Gaza. 🤲🏼
Happy to contribute within the win. Credits to the entire crew and particularly Abdullah Shafique and Hassan Ali for making it simpler.
Extremely grateful to the folks of Hyderabad for the superb hospitality and help all through.
— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) October 11, 2023
However, the cricketer acquired lots of flak for interjecting politics into the sport. The Skin Doctor questioned how his runs or Pakistan’s triumph would assist the residents of Gaza. He suggested the participant and his crew to donate all of their earnings, together with match charges, prizes and endorsements with a purpose to make an precise contribution to the Palestinian trigger.
How will a century or a win assist them in Gaza? Instead, you and whole Pak crew ought to donate all types of earnings, whether or not it is match charges, awards, endorsements, and many others., from the World Cup to Palestinians. That can be real help. Otherwise this tweet is simply hogwash.
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) October 11, 2023
“He should go to fight against Israel. What on earth is he doing here playing cricket,” commented a social media person.
Isko to jaake Israel ke towards ladna chahiye yaha cricket khel Raha ye
— crazyy soul (@crazyyy__soul) October 11, 2023
Another person introduced up the barbarity of Hamas terrorists whom he known as the batsman’s brothers and wrote that even ten extra centuries gained’t match as much as the crimes dedicated by the previous. He additionally hooked up two photographs highlighting the brutality of the Hamas terrorists, notably on the aged, ladies and youngsters.
Score 10 extra centuries a minimum of.. even that will not do full justice to such 👇🏽 achievements by your palestinian hamas terrorist brothers.. pic.twitter.com/uwKTnaxKzN
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) October 11, 2023
A person referred to the poor financial situation of the folks of Pakistan and talked about that they’ll solely supply verbal help and can’t “even donate match fees and winning cash.”
Pakistani’s can do that solely, cant even donate match charges and profitable money.
Khud ki halat bhikari jaise ho rakhi hai
— rae (@ChillamChilli) October 11, 2023
A netizen demanded the rapid return of the Pakistan Cricket Team to Pakistan and requested the International Cricket Council to forestall the worldwide occasion from turning right into a “tool for supporting Hamas Terrorists.”
Pakistan Cricket Team must be despatched again to Pakistan asap.@ICC shouldn’t permit Cricket World Cup to develop into a software for supporting Hamas Terrorists.
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) October 11, 2023
A person known as him out for his silence on the heinous homicide of hundreds of Israelis and added, “Shame on you for this tweet.”
You didn’t utter a single phrase when Israel was attacked and so many misplaced their lives?? Shame on you for this tweet.
— Rainbow Salt (@Rainbowsalts91) October 11, 2023
Why ICC, BCCI, and the GoI have to take stern motion over Muhammad Rizwan’s submit glorifying Hamas terrorists
Rizwan’s tweet gave the impression to be in violation of the code of conduct drawn up by the ICC, which has strict guidelines for cricketers indulging in making political and spiritual statements. In truth, in World Cup 2019, the ICC had objected to one thing as benign as carrying wicket-keeping gloves with Indian Army insignia and had requested former Indian wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to take away them.
“The ICC has responded to the BCCI to confirm the logo displayed by MS Dhoni in the previous match is not permitted to be worn on his wicket-keeping gloves at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019,” the ICC assertion issued in 2019 learn.
In 2014, the ICC banned English cricketer Moeen Ali from carrying “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” wristbands whereas enjoying for England. “The ICC equipment and clothing regulations do not permit the display of messages that relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes during an international match. Moeen Ali was told by the match referee that while he is free to express his views on such causes away from the cricket field, he is not permitted to wear the wristbands on the field of play and warned not to wear the bands again during an international match,” the assertion issued by the apex cricketing physique mentioned.
By the identical token, the ICC also needs to situation an announcement expressing its disapproval of Rizwan’s assertion supporting Hamas and ask the Pakistan Cricket Board to get its participant to recant his tweet that seeks to glorify the egregious terror assaults carried out by Hamas terrorists towards Israeli civilians, together with aged, ladies, and youngsters, a lot of whom have been discovered useless with their heads chopped off.
The BCCI also needs to be aware of Rizwan’s remark and make sure that overseas cricketers who’ve come to India for the 2023 World Cup don’t find yourself exploiting the cricketing platform to hawk particular person agendas and categorical sympathy for terrorists who killed lots of of civilians in Israel. The Indian authorities also needs to step in and convey to the Pakistan Cricket Board that their cricketers should chorus from politicising the game whereas being in India for an ICC occasion. Rizwan must be made to apologise for politicising the World Cup and requested to drag down his submit.
Above all the pieces else, Rizwan’s tweet expressing solidarity with the Hamas terrorists exposes the banal tropes that former Pakistani cricketers and Pakistani journalists resort to whereas arguing for restoring a bilateral cricketing relationship with India. They preserve harping about holding politics and cricket aside, however the newest submit by Rizwan betrays their underlying sentiments: Ummah above all the pieces else. From former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, who had mentioned a cricket match towards India to him was jihad, equally, a long time later, for the present crop of Pakistani cricketers too, cricket solely appears to be a platform to perpetuate their non secular supremacism and “common brotherhood”, which apparently entails sympathising with terrorists.
Past antecedents of Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan
Notably, Muhammad Rizwan is notorious for fusing politics, faith and sports activities very similar to a number of of his countrymen. He lately caught the eye of many when he began providing Namaz on the cricket subject throughout the second half of the match towards the Netherlands whereas his teammates awaited drinks throughout the break. He acquired condemnation for doing the identical simply in entrance of Indians.
#WATCH : Mohammad Rizwan deliberately does this when there are Indians watching him. During T20 World Cup 2021, India vs Pakistan match he has affords ‘Namaz’ in floor throughout drink break. #MohammadRizwan #Pakistan #PAKvNED #namaz #INDVSPAK #icccricketworldcup2023 #ICCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/a0NAz4JvkZ
— Ravi Pandey🇮🇳 (@ravipandey2643) October 6, 2023
Netizens accused the wicket-keeper batsman of bringing faith into cricket, not like Indian gamers who by no means behave in such a way.
Interestingly, when Babar Azam-led aspect defeated India by 10 wickets within the ICC T20 World Cup ‘Super 12’ recreation on 24 October 2021, former Pakistan tempo bowler Waqar Younis expressed his glee and voiced, “What I liked most is what Rizwan did. He stood in the middle of the ground and read the prayers in front of the Hindus,” after the 31-year-old Muhammad Rizwan had used the cricket match as a chance to flaunt his religion in entrance of thousands and thousands of viewers.
“Rizwan offered Namaz during #INDvPAK match in middle of Hindus was most satisfying thing Mashallah, even more than his batting”
– Waqar Younis & Shoaib Akhtar discusspic.twitter.com/ELTVJSTqh4
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) October 26, 2021
He was slammed by Indian cricketers and commentators who known as out his Jihadi mindset and he was pressured to apologise with folded fingers. He blamed his bigoted opinion on the “heat of the moment” and claimed that it was a “genuine mistake.” He alleged he didn’t wish to harm the emotions of anybody and apologised when the controversy escalated.
In the warmth of the second, I mentioned one thing which I didn’t imply which has harm the emotions of many. I apologise for this, this was not meant in any respect, real mistake. Sports unites folks no matter race, color or faith. #apologies 🙏🏻
— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) October 26, 2021
ICC World Cup and fangs of Islamism
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Cricket World Cup 2023 has not been with out its share of contentions. Former Australian batsman Matthew Hayden and Pakistan’s Ramiz Raja took benefit of the platform offered by the event and advocated for Islam whereas offering commentary for a observe match between Australia and Pakistan on 3 October. The two exploited the sport as an instrument to unfold their very own non secular views whereas consciously ignoring the unifying energy of sports activities which irked many social media customers.
When the ex-chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board questioned Matthew Hayden about his experiences as a former coach of the Pakistani crew, he responded that the Islamic lifestyle instils self-discipline which he significantly admires and that Pakistani cricket can be very centered on Islam and that it’s the important element of their gamers. The two have been lambasted by the general public for selling Islam at a significant sporting occasion who discovered their discourse offensive.
On 9 October, Zainab Abbas Pakistani cricket presenter needed to depart India after her anti-Hindu tweets went viral on social media. The netizens requested for her deportation and Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Jindal additionally filed a cyber grievance towards her which ultimately resulted within the termination of her contract and she or he needed to exit the nation.
During the World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on 10 October repeated slogans of “Jeetega bhai Jeetega, Pakistan Jeetega” (Pakistan will win) stuffed the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad and proved the previous Pakistani cricketer Mushtaq Ahmed right who predicted that his nation’s crew goes to obtain humongous help in Hyderabad and Ahmedabad on account of their massive Muslim inhabitants.
Cricket which is meant to be a gents’s recreation has develop into a software of anti-India propaganda in our neighbouring nation Pakistan. Whether it’s Shahid Afridi or Shoaib Akhtar who repeatedly attacked India over Kashmir or former Prime Minister and ex-Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan who known as a cricket match between the 2 nations ‘a way of Jihad’ towards India, the hate towards the nation and Hindus particularly from Pakistan cricketers has been ever-present and palpable.