Players are considered as an ambassador of the sport but also as a representative of their respective countries. If we talk about Cricket, then it is often called a gentlemen’s game, and cricketers are also considered as representatives of their countries.
However, this perception has been gradually started diminishing in recent decades, because we have seen several attempts to blend sports with religion or radical ideologies to influence others. This is exactly what Pakistani cricketers have been doing for the last couple of decades, and now instead of cricket and game spirit, they are acting as an ambassador of the radicalized Islamic State of Pakistan.
In the ongoing T-20 World cup, we have seen the most-awaited encounter between India and Pakistan, where Pak has decimated India, and since then we have seen how this has taken a religious turn.
Pakistan’s interior minister Sheikh Rasheed linked Pakistan’s cricket victory over India to Islam and claimed that Muslims across the world were emotionally supporting Pakistan during the match. Things turn nasty when former Pakistan captain and pacer Waqar Younis said that his favorite moment of the match was when Mohammed Rizwan offered namaz on the ground in front of Hindus.
Well, this could be shocking or surprising for a few people, but Pakistan is a habitual offender in this context. They have a long history of using and linking everything with Islam, to consolidate support from Islamic countries. If you remember, they call their atom bomb an Islamic Bomb, just to give a perception that they are the custodian of Islamic culture and they are the ones who will protect Muslims from any adversaries.
Now Pakistan is using cricket as a tool to spread its jihad across the world. Some people have understood it recently, but Pakistan is doing it for at least 3 decades. In fact, we can say that Pakistani cricketers are using Islamic terminology in the game and mixing religious practices with the game, especially during India-Pakistan matches.
The first such instance was observed in 1978 when the Indian team traveled to Pakistan for a Test series. The then Pakistani captain Mushtaq Mohammed made an extremely controversial statement after Pakistan’s victory in the test series. He went on record to say the win was the “victory of Muslims all over the world over Hindus.’’
India’s former high commissioner to Pakistan, G Parthasarathy, quoted a 1982 incident about Imran Khan. Khan made a statement that “he saw India-Pakistan cricket matches not as a game but as Jihad for Kashmir.”
Inzamam-ul-Haq, former Pakistan cricket captain, boasted on camera about former Pakistan batsman Mohammed Yusuf, that he was trying to convert Brian Lara to Islam during the Karachi Test match after inviting him for a meal.
Shahid Afridi, once made an objectionable statement on camera, where he was boasting about breaking a television set at home after he saw his daughter imitate aarti on TV in an Indian television serial.
Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was on camera talking about Ghazwa-e-Hind and Muslims attacking Kashmir and the rest of India to establish an empire from Attock to Cuttack. The same Shoaib Akhtar makes his living from India, and he is so shameless that he wants to denigrate the same nation.
Look what Pakistani Player Sohail Tanveer is saying about Hindu mentality here.
In another such incident, Mohammad Yusuf and Inzamam ul Haq invited Brian Lara for dinner and asked him to convert to Islam. Inzamam ul Haq wants all non-Muslims to convert to Islam. They shared their thoughts about Islamise the whole world.
Saeed Anwar, one of the most prolific batsmen of Pakistan, changed his life when he started working as a religious preacher. He once made a highly controversial statement, when he said that “All 6 Billion non-Muslims will burn in hell. Let’s save them by converting them to Islam.”
Pakistani spinner Saqlain Mushtaq bowled an amazing googly when he said that “If you convert to Islam, your batting average doubles.” Well, that was certainly an unplayable delivery Saqlain !!
Pakistani players are so obsessed to spread Islam, that they are even supporting the Taliban and ISIS. Recently the Taliban took over Afghanistan and in the process killed thousands and displaced millions of innocent Afghans.
Shahid Afridi took a firm stand in support of the Taliban and shamelessly said that “Taliban love cricket. Taliban has brought positivity to the world. Taliban are women rights champions”
If you think this was enough, then you shall be disappointed when you watch the next video. Pakistani batsman Mohammad Yusuf made a strong statement in support of Terrorists and ISIS operatives when he said that ” No Non-Muslim can enter Jannat ever. But Allah will send even a worst criminal Muslim to Jannat.”
Well, what can you expect from the religious bigots, who support terrorists and criminals in the name of Islam? They wear skull caps, perform namaz in the cricket ground, approach other players and ask them to convert, justify the killings of innocents, support terrorists and evil groups, all in the name of Islam.
This is quite visible that Pakistan is no more playing cricket with sports spirit, their only objective is to show their religious signaling, influence people and portray themselves as an Islamic power. ICC and BCCI should take immediate action to stop such religious practices from active players and must discourage management and support staff to express their religious fervor.
