Pakistan Cricket seems to be going through a rough phase both on and off the field. While Babar Azam and his men are struggling in the T20 World Cup, some former cricketers of the Asian country have courted controversies for making unsavoury comments.
The latest on the list is Ijaz Ahmed, who represented Pakistan in 250 ODIs and 60 Tests during his career. The cricketer-turned-pundit recently featured in a panel discussion on ARY News where he dissected Pakistan’s performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup. While sharing his view about the squad selection, Ahmed claimed that the majority of the players in the current team come from the Pathan community and they “don’t have proper education.”
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I hope this doesn’t turn into Pashtun vs Punjabis.Shame on Ijaz Ahmed for spewing this filth.
— M (@anngrypakiistan) June 10, 2024
“Look at the Pakistan cricket team now, 80% of it has gone to remote areas like KP (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). If you select a team right now, 6-8 players are Pathans, who do not have education. They wake up in the morning to go for namaz with their relatives or brothers and return, and then they don’t leave their homes after that. When there is pressure on them during matches, they cannot handle it,” Ijaz Ahmed said on ARY News.
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His comments didn’t go down well with many fans as well as former cricketers. Junaid Khan who won the 2017 Champions Trophy with Pakistan, released a video on X (formerly Twitter) where he asked Ijaz Ahmed to “apologise” publicly for his controversial comments about the Pathan community.
Junaid Khan requests Ijaz Ahmed to apologize to the Pushtoon community for his inappropriate comments.#Cricket | #Pakistan | #JunaidKhan | #IjazAhmed | #T20WorldCup | #Pushtoons | #KhyberPakhtunkhwa pic.twitter.com/cY9KlEUl4v— Khel Shel (@khelshel) June 11, 2024
Salman Iqbal, founder and CEO of ARY DIGITAL Network, also came forward to criticise Ijaz Ahmed. He wrote on X, “What was said at Kashif Abbasi’s show by Ijaz Ahmed is not acceptable by ARY management and me personally. I have a huge respect for the Pakhtun community and all the communities we have in Pakistan. I think that Ijaz Ahmed should apologise to the Pashtun community for his statement.”
What was said at Kashif Abbasi’s show by Ijaz ahmed is not acceptable by ARY management and me personally . I have a huge respect for the Pakhtun community and all the communities we have in Pakistan . I think that Ijaz ahmed should appologise to the pakhtun community on his…— Salman Iqbal ARY (@Salman_ARY) June 11, 2024
Rahman Bunairee, a television host from Pakistan, slammed Ijaz Ahmed for his remarks “that border on ethnic discrimination.” He feels the anchor and the other members of the panel could have questioned his comments but chose to stay silent.
“Neither the host nor the panellists questioned these remarks, which raises serious concerns about the presence of ethnic bias and racism in the discourse surrounding the team’s performance. Such language is not only inappropriate but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and undermines the integrity of the sport,” Bunairee posted on X.
Pakistan’s defeat against India has also sparked comments that border on ethnic discrimination. Former Pakistani player Ijaz Ahmed, speaking on national television, attributed the loss to the Pashtun players, stating, eighty percent of team players are Pashtuns, most of them are… pic.twitter.com/1Iwo4oxnJc— Rahman Bunairee (@RahmanBunairee) June 10, 2024
Earlier on Sunday when a tense India vs Pakistan match was underway in New York, Kamran Akmal made a controversial remark on the Sikh community, referring to Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh. During an interaction on ARY News, Akmal said, “Kuch bhi ho sakta hai… 12 baj gaye hai (Anything can happen. It’s already 12).”
Lakh di laanat tere Kamraan Akhmal.. You should know the history of sikhs before u open ur filthy mouth. We Sikhs saved ur mothers and sisters when they were abducted by invaders, the time invariably was 12 o’clock . Shame on you guys.. Have some Gratitude @KamiAkmal23 https://t.co/5gim7hOb6f— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 10, 2024
After legendary Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh criticised Kamran Akmal through a social media post, the former Pakistani cricketer apologised to Arshdeep Singh and the Sikh community. “My words were inappropriate and disrespectful. I have the utmost respect for Sikhs all over the world and never intended to hurt anyone. I am truly sorry,” Akmal wrote on X.
I deeply regret my recent comments and sincerely apologize to @harbhajan_singh and the Sikh community. My words were inappropriate and disrespectful. I have the utmost respect for Sikhs all over the world and never intended to hurt anyone. I am truly sorry. #Respect #Apology— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) June 10, 2024
As far as the T20 World Cup is concerned, Pakistan have managed to register one win in three group-league games so far. They have yet to play Ireland and must win the game to keep their hopes alive for the Super 8 round.
Keywords: Ijaz Ahmed, ARY News, Pakistan cricket team, Pathans, T20 World Cup 2024, Ijaz Ahmed controversy, Kamran Akmal controversy, Ijaz Ahmed slammed for racist comment, Pathan community in Pakistan, Junaid Khan
Ref link: https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2024/after-kamran-akmal-ijaz-ahmeds-racist-uneducated-pathan-comment-sparks-outrage-in-pakistan-amid-t20-world-cup-5869725
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