In a recent development, an Indian lawyer has formally registered a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter, Mohammad Rizwan, for his actions on the cricket field. This complaint represents the second instance of allegations made against Rizwan during the ongoing World Cup in India.
The controversy began after Rizwan’s exceptional performance in a match against Sri Lanka, where he achieved a match-winning century. Following this feat, he dedicated his remarkable performance to the people of Gaza in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, expressing his solidarity on a public platform.
However, the ICC did not take any action against Rizwan, considering his act as a personal expression rather than a violation of cricketing rules. Nevertheless, this incident has now prompted Vineet Jindal, an advocate of the Supreme Court of India, to file a fresh complaint against Mohammad Rizwan.
In the formal complaint addressed to ICC Chairman Greg Barclay, Jindal states, “This is a complaint about Pakistan Cricket Player, Mohammad Rizwan, who was seen offering namaz on the cricket field during his team’s opening match of the ongoing ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 on Friday, October 6th, against the Netherlands in Hyderabad.”
Jindal goes on to elaborate, “The act of Mohammad Rizwan when he read namaz on the cricket field amid many Indians is symbolic of the intentional depiction of his religion which stands against the spirit of sports.”
He further contends, “This very act of the player raises questions about the spirit of the match and raises a question of the ideology the player follows while playing the match. The act of displaying his religion by Mohammad Rizwan purposefully depicts his intent to message that he is a Muslim, defeating the spirit of sports. Rizwan seen offering prayers amid the field while his teammates were waiting for drinks during the break,” the lawyer argued.
Jindal highlights that Rizwan’s act of representing his religion on the field, combined with his statement in a press conference where he dedicated his victory to the people of Gaza, further reinforces his religious and political ideology.
Notably, Rizwan had faced a similar controversy in 2021 when he offered namaz on the cricket ground during the ICC T20 World Cup ‘Super 12’ game, where Pakistan defeated India by 10 wickets. His actions at that time praised by some, including former Pakistan pace bowler Waqar Younis, who said, “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.” This incident sparked discussion as Rizwan’s act seen as a public display of his faith in front of a diverse and international audience.
keeping the spirit of sports alive, Advocate Vineet Jindal filed complaint against Mohammed Rizwan, Wicket keeper and batsman of the Pakistan Cricket team for offering “namaz” during Cricket match on 6th Oct’2023 with International Cricket Council. Copy of the complaint also… pic.twitter.com/pugqIjHgev— Adv.Vineet Jindal (@vineetJindal19) October 14, 2023
Vineet Jindal is now urging the ICC to take decisive action against Rizwan for what he perceives as a violation of the spirit of the sport. It’s worth noting that Jindal had previously filed a complaint against Pakistan presenter Zainab Abbas for her alleged “anti-Hindu” statements.
Abbas, who had been in India as a presenter for the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, left the country on October 9th, with the international cricket body citing “personal reasons” for her departure.