On Friday (November 4), a video of Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad attempting to convert Sri Lankan cricketing legend TM Dilshan to Islam went viral on social media.
A 21-second long video clip of the incident was shared on Twitter by a user named Incognito X (@Incognito_jkl). “If you are a non-Muslim and you turn Muslim, no matter whatever you do in your life, straight to heaven,” Shehzad was heard as saying.
Dilshan did not seem to pay any heed to the comments of the Pakistani cricketer. However, when the Sri Lankan legend finally responded (which was not captured by the microphone), Ahmed Shehzad warned, “Then be ready for the (Hell) fire.”
Pakistan Cricket Team has 11 maulvis, not 11 cricketers 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/VH9VJcjG30
— Incognito X (@Incognito_jkl) November 4, 2022
While reflecting on the on-field proselytization by the Pakistani cricketer, the Twitter user wrote, “Pakistan Cricket Team has 11 maulvis (clerics), not 11 cricketers.”
The Origins of the viral video
The viral video, dating back to August 30, 2014, was shot during the 3rd ODI match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The match was hosted at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium by the island nation.
During the 50-over encounter, Sri Lanka dismissed Pakistan for a paltry score of 102. TM Dilshan went on to score an unbeaten half-century and the hosts went on to win the match by 7 wickets (in accordance with the Duckworth-Lewis method).
Although Dilshan did not register a formal complaint, an official inquiry was initiated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). As per reports, TM Dilshan was born to a Muslim father and a Buddhist mother.
Following his international debut in 1999, he dropped his Muslim name ‘Tuwan Mohamed Dilshan.’ Thereafter, the Sri Lankan legend adopted his mother’s Sinhalese-Buddhist identity under the name Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan.
Similarly, many other Pakistani cricketers, mostly former players such as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Muhammad Yusuf, Saqlain Mushtaq, and other have taken to Islamic preaching after announcing their retirement. Some of them have continued being connected with cricket in some or the other capacity, but that has not stopped them from routinely conducting sessions to preach Islamic religious scriptures.
Mohammad Rizwan invokes Allah in a match against the Netherlands
Being overtly religious and becoming an Islamic scholar is not just an exclusive preserve of the former Pakistani cricketers, for whom there are scarce economic opportunities after hanging up their booths in a country starkly polarised by Islamic extremism. Even the current crop of cricketers has displayed an evangelical zeal to proselytise the infidels and propagate their religion.
For instance, Mohammad Rizwan, the prolific run-scorer for Pakistan, has been one of the most ardent proponents of spreading Islam. Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, who was appointed as the Batting Coach of the Pakistan cricket team for the 2021 T20 World Cup, had in November 2021 made a startling revelation when he said that Mohammad Rizwan gifted him an English version of a copy of Quran.
Talking about the moment when he was given the book, Hayden said, “It was Rizzy (Mohammad Rizwan) and I have to say it was a beautiful moment I will never forget. I am curious about Islam even though I am a Christian. One follows Christ and the other Muhammad and in a sense never shall meet but he presented me with an English version of the Quran. We sat on the floor for half an hour and talked through it. I am reading a bit of it each day. Rizzy is one of my favourite individuals, a champion human being.”
More recently, Rizwan was caught on stump mic telling a Dutch player that he believed in Allah and not in the game situation. Rizwan reportedly made the comments during Pakistan vs Netherlands match, played on October 30 in the ongoing T20 World Cup in Australia. Pakistan is currently third on the points table and is all but certain of going back home without qualifying for the semis.
Stump mic! @iMRizwanPak 🗣 to the Duch wicketkeeper” I believe on ALLAH not on the game situation.#PAKvsNED #T20WorldCup
— Saeed Anwar (@ImSaeedAnwar) October 30, 2022
Not just this, Rizwan is also known for taking time out of his busy cricket schedule and preaching Islam in mosques and madarsas. Several videos of the cricketer preaching Islam and its teachings distilled from the Quran have gone viral on the internet.
Mohd Rizwan @iMRizwanPak is preaching Islam. Mash Allah ❤ pic.twitter.com/LlUHZ0A6Yb
— Nadira Mushtaque Syed (@naadiisporty) December 31, 2021
Muhammad Rizwan Preaching Islam in a mosque at Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/X8Rj5NPN0b
— Maham Fatima (@MahamOfficial_2) October 20, 2022
In fact, not just in Pakistan, Rizwan also finds time to preach Islam on international tours to foreign countries. Recently, social media websites were awash with a video of him preaching Islam in a mosque in Melbourne amid the Pakistan cricket team’s world cup campaign.
