Rizwan reacts to Haris Rauf row: Irrelevant whether fan was from Pakistan or India
Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan strongly condemned the action of a fan in the United States after Haris Rauf alleged personal abuse during a heated argument on Tuesday.
Rizwan was among the many Pakistan cricketers who took to social media to lash out at the apparent unruly behaviour from the fan. A video of Haris Rauf jumping across a hedge on a sidewalk to confront a fan, who was wearing a Pakistan jersey, went viral on social media.
The fan apparently said something to upset the fast bowler, who was taking a stroll on the streets with his wife. Haris and the fan nearly came to blows before a group of men prevented an escalation of the altercation. After some pushing and shoving, Rauf went back across to hedge to the sidewalk where his wife had remained.
Haris Rauf took to social media to defend his actions later in the day, hinting that the fan in question crossed a line by resorting to personal abuse.
“It is irrelevant whether the person who disrespected Haris Rauf was from Pakistan or India. What truly matters is that this individual lacked values and manners. No one has the right to disrespect any human being, especially in front of their family members. Such appalling behavior must be stopped. Values like tolerance, respect, and compassion are increasingly rare commodities,” Rizwan said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Notably, Haris Rauf had asked the fan if he was an Indian, but was told by the man that he was a Pakistani.
SHAHID AFRIDI, SHAHEEN BACK HARIS RAUF
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi also jumped to the defense of Haris Rauf, saying that the fan’s actions were unacceptable. “The Haris Rauf incident is totally unacceptable! We should never lose respect or cross the line. The ones spreading hatred should stop now,” he said
Haris Rauf’s pace bowling mate Shaheen Afridi also took to social media to lash out against the abuse.
“It is absolutely disgraceful how Haris Rauf was treated. No one has the right to belittle and disrespect another person. I’m also shocked by those who have shared this video. Why prioritize a few likes over our humanity? Stay strong, Haris. We stand united with you,” Shaheen said.
The Pakistan Cricket Board strongly condemned the incident and demanded an apology from the fan who was involved in the altercation.
Pakistan cricketers have been facing the heat over the last week after Babar Azam and his men exited the T20 World Cup early. It was an embarrassing result for the 2022 runners-up as they failed to make it out of the group stage for the first time. Captain Babar has been facing flak for his leadership with rumours about multiple factions in the dressing room gaining traction.
Pakistan lost to the USA and India and managed to beat only Ireland and Canada in their Group A fixtures of the men’s T20 World Cup.