On third October (Tuesday), Australian opener Matthew Hayden and Ramiz Raja exploited the BCCI-backed ICC International Cup 2023 platform to advertise Islam whilst doing statement in a warm-up sport. Hayden and Ramiz Raja intentionally lost sight of the unifying attainable of sports activities and abused the platform to propagate their person non secular ideologies and leverage its wider achieve.
Why is that this Statement between Ramiz Raja and Mathew Hayden brazenly selling & glorifying IsIam being allowed??? It is a Cricket International Cup Fit now not some Spiritual amassing that such sermons be given %.twitter.com/U7C3urJQZ6
— Rosy (@rose_k01) October 4, 2023
Whilst commentating, Hayden emphasized that he very much admires that the Pakistani Cricket unit could be very neatly eager about Islam and it has made them disciplined. The Australian opener additionally wired that it’s the Islamic way of living that provides self-discipline.
-Ramiz Raza and Matthew Hayden selling Islam right through heat up fit of global cup
-Hayden used to be Batting marketing consultant of Pakistan staff right through 2022 T20 International Cup
-Each are selling non-public non secular ideals in statement funded by way of ICC which is in the end funded by way of BCCI
-With a bit of luck… %.twitter.com/stxjPJkf4L
— BALA (@rightarmleftist) October 4, 2023
Particularly, the incident opened up on third October when Australia and Pakistan performed a warm-up fit on the Rajiv Gandhi Global Stadium in Hyderabad. Whilst commentating, Ramiz Raja requested Hayden about his revel in of running with the Pakistan cricket staff.
To which, Hayden preached that the Islamic way of living offers self-discipline which he very much admired. He added that Pakistani cricket could also be very targeted round Islam and it’s the core factor of the Pakistani taking part in aspect.
He stated, “Neatly it’s very targeted round Islam, which is the central and core factor to this taking part in unit. And that theory and the lifestyle ends up in nice self-discipline, which I very much appreciate. In the end, cricket could be very a lot a self-discipline as neatly. You must be dedicated. You must be invested, and you have got to be constant.”
Matthew Hayden unearths he used to be talented the Quran by way of Pakistani participant Mohammed Rizwan
You will need to word that Matthew Hayden used to be the trainer of the Pakistan cricket staff right through the T20 International Cup 2021 and T20 International Cup 2022. Again in November 2021, in an interview given to Information Corp Australia, Hayden printed that Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan talented him an English model of the Quran.
He said that he used to be all in favour of Islam, and when Rizwan got here to learn about his interest with admire to Islam, he talented him an English translation of the Holy Quran. Narrating the incident, he stated it used to be an exquisite second, one that he’s going to by no means disregard.
He famous that either one of them additionally mentioned Islam and its ideals at period, and he’s studying the Quran a little bit day by day.
Referring to that episode, Hayden stated, “It used to be Rizzy (Mohammad Rizwan) and I’ve to mention it used to be an exquisite second I will be able to by no means disregard. I’m all in favour of Islam even if I’m a Christian. One follows Christ and the opposite Muhammad and in a way by no means shall meet however he offered me with an English model of the Quran. We sat at the flooring for part an hour and talked thru it. I’m studying a little bit of it every day. Rizzy is one in all my favorite people, a champion human being.”
On the other hand, Mohammad Rizwan’s solution to Matthew Hayden, encouraging him to discover Islam, is only one example of a broader pattern the place Islamic cricketers and commentators specifically from Pakistan have time and again abused their platform to propagate Islam and proselytisation of non-believers.
Pakistan gamers dating non-Muslims on cricket floor to include Islam
Previous, a video of Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad pestering Sri Lankan cricketing legend Tilakratne Dilshan to transform to Islam went viral on social media. In a 21-second lengthy video, Shehzad used to be heard announcing, “If you’re a non-Muslim and also you flip Muslim, regardless of no matter you do to your existence, immediately to heaven.”
Pakistan Cricket Workforce has 11 maulvis, now not 11 cricketers ?? %.twitter.com/VH9VJcjG30
— Incognito X (@Incognito_jkl) November 4, 2022
Within the video, it sort of feels that Dilshan didn’t pay any heed to the feedback of the Pakistani cricketer. On the other hand, when the Sri Lankan legend in the end spoke back (which used to be now not captured by way of the microphone), Ahmed Shehzad warned, “Then be able for the (Hell) hearth.”
Reflecting at the on-field proselytisation by way of the Pakistani cricketer, the Twitter person wrote, “Pakistan Cricket Workforce has 11 maulvis (clerics), now not 11 cricketers.”
Spiritual discrimination confronted by way of non-Muslims in Pakistan
Excluding proselytisation, Pakistani cricketers are notorious for discriminating at the foundation of the non secular ideals of different cricketers. In December 2019, former tempo bowler Shoaib Akhtar uncovered Pakistan’s extremism in opposition to Hindus. In a talk display, Akhtar printed how his teammates ill-treated ex-cricketer Danish Prabha Shanker Kaneria for being a Hindu.
Following Akhtar’s revelations, Danish Kaneria admitted that no matter Shoiab Akhtar printed within the chat display about discrimination in opposition to him at the foundation of faith used to be the reality. Kaneria used to be the second one Hindu and 7th non-Muslim general to constitute Pakistan in world cricket.
In a similar fashion, Mohammad Yousuf, who used to be a Dalit Christian and referred to as Yousuf Youhana, modified his faith and title later in his occupation as a result of non secular discrimination. Former Pakistani diplomat Shaharyar M Khan who additionally served because the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board between 2003 and 2006 wrote about Yousuf’s debatable apostasy in his guide, Cricket Cauldron: The Turbulent Politics of Game in Pakistan.
In line with Khan, Yousuf transformed to Islam as a result of his teammates, specifically Inzamam-ul-Haq, pestered him to go through non secular conversion. Secondly, Yousuf believed that when conversion he may just develop into captain of the Pakistani aspect.
The normalisation of communal bigotry by way of Pakistanis: Waqar Younis stated he used to be proud to look Rizwan providing namaz in entrance of Hindus
Moreover, there are a lot of cases that spotlight that Pakistani cricketers and commentators have normalised communal bigotry in opposition to non-Muslims.
In October 2021, Pakistani rapid bowler Waqar Younis used to be elated to proportion that it used to be very particular for him when Mohammad Rizwan recited the Namaz in entrance of Hindus right through the India as opposed to Pakistan fit on the T20 International Cup.
Talking at the communicate display, Younis stated, “The way wherein Babar and Rizwan batted, smart but competitive, the strike-rotation, the glance on their faces, it used to be superb. The most efficient factor, what Rizwan did, Mashallah, he introduced the Namaz at the floor surrounded by way of Hindus, that used to be truly one thing very very particular for me.”
As soon as, Shoaib Akhtar advocated the Islamic supremacist fable of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, declaring that Islamic forces would seize Kashmir and invade India.
Akhtar had stated, “It’s written in our scriptures that Ghazwa e Hind will happen. The river in Attock can be colored purple two times with blood. Forces from Afghanistan will achieve until Attock. Then after that forces will upward push from Shamal Mashriq, and other contingents will arrive from Uzbekistan and so forth…this refers to Khorasan, a ancient area that prolonged until Lahore. Later the ones forces will triumph over Kashmir, after which, inshallah, they’re going to march onwards (to the remainder of India).”
Pertinent to notice that the Islamist doctrine Shoaib Akhtar counseled has incessantly been cited by way of terrorists to justify their assaults in India. The Islamist terror assaults on India happen below the banner of Ghazwa-e-Hind. Radicals in Pakistan are skilled and brainwashed with the concept that of Ghazwa-e-Hind, to arrange them for suicide missions in India and legitimise their jihad in opposition to India.
Outdated anti-Hindu, anti-India tweets of Pakistani TV presenter Zainab Abbas, who joined the staff of panellists internet hosting the International Cup 2023, cross viral
The record of Pakistani cricketers and commentators spewing venom in opposition to non-believers is non-exhaustive however not too long ago it additionally surfaced on-line when Pakistani commentator Zainab Abbas launched into a discuss with to India to host the International Cup as presenter in India.
On second October, screenshots of previous anti-Hindu, anti-India tweets of Pakistani cricket presenter Zainab Abbas surfaced on-line.
A Rabid Hindu Hater from Pakistan is likely one of the ICC presenters for the International Cup
Shameful %.twitter.com/2sezuNbafl
— Sensei Kraken 0 (@YearOfTheKraken) October 2, 2023
In her previous tweets, she had written deplorable issues mocking India and Hindus telling them to consume meat and the usage of words like ‘stinking cow piss’ to explain India. Particularly, Pakistan has been infamous for the usage of such slurs to derange Indians as meek Hindus who’re afraid in their ‘martial race’.
Why ICC and BCCI should prevent cricket from changing into a floor for Islamic conversions
But, the BCCI and the apex governing frame of cricket, the ICC, have remained mute spectators to the rampant abuse of the game by way of a number of radicalised people who have used the immense achieve of the sport and the popularity it has given to them to propagate their non secular ideals whilst serving of their legit capability as sportspersons or commentators. Even worse, those that have displayed communal bigotry in opposition to Hindus had been rewarded with profitable contracts and integrated within the statement panel for commentating within the International Cup 2023, as witnessed with the inclusion of Waqar Younis and Zainab Abbas. No longer simply BCCI and the ICC, the greenback additionally stops with the Indian govt to arrange a listing of people with a historical past of anti-Hindu bigotry and put them on a visa blacklist in order that they don’t slip into India below any context.
A game bridges variations between other people from other religions, teams, nationalities, and walks of existence. This can be a supply of leisure for tens of millions of fanatics who disregard the day by day grind of existence and immerse themselves within the sport for the adrenaline rush and pleasure it generates. When non secular dogmas and ideology get promoted at the plank of a game, it now not simplest vitiates the sport but additionally undermines the secularism that the sport embodies, fuelling divisions and endorsing supremacism.
Similar to India’s founding fathers envisioned isolating politics from faith, ICC and BCCI would do neatly to split cricket from faith. Another way, we may as neatly see cricket unravelling, similar to the implosion of Pakistan, an Islamic nation carved out of undivided India at the foundation of faith.
Because the International Cup is being hosted in India and BCCI has the considered necessary leverage energy over ICC, the best decision-making frame in cricket, it’s for the BCCI to be sure that the International Cup 2023 platform isn’t abused to propagate non secular ideologies or floor for conversion. The naked minimun the BCCI and the ICC can do is terminate the contracts of Matthew Hayden, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis, and Zainab Abbas, and ship a message to the cricketers and commentators that proselytisation of any religion and anti-Hindu bigotry may not be tolerated.