The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is getting ready to host the first-ever women’s IPL in 2023 following the success of the men’s IPL. Furthermore, a total of 5 teams will compete in the Women’s IPL 2023, which will begin in March this year.
Except, the fact that Pakistani women cricketers, much like their male counterparts, are not invited to participate in the IPL has not gone down too well with Pakistani sympathisers. They have also invoked the spirit of the game and equality in a tournament which is essentially by an Indian body.
Equality is only equality when all players have an equal opportunity to enter an auction. Feel for how much these 💰 figures will grow the gap between Pakistan players and the rest. No Pakistan players in #WPLAuction as per #IPL.
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) February 13, 2023
Many have also tried to guilt trip BCCI by claiming how India is unnecessarily mixing politics with the game of cricket which should be played in spirit. However, Pakistani players, current and former, have time and again issued anti-India and anti-Hindu statements including but not limited to Kashmir, which is an integral part of India.
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s ex prime minister, former captain of his country’s cricket team, wanted to wage Jihad against India through cricket.
Proof 1: Cricket ‘Jihad’ by PM Imran Khan
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) September 21, 2021
“Whenever I play against India, I don’t see it as cricket but Jihad for Kashmir.” pic.twitter.com/wUSIdMdWSv
Here, Pakistan bowler, Sohail Tanveer, can be heard denigrating Hindus, by stating that they are of low mindset.
Proof 2: Cricketer Sohail Tanveer discussing ‘Hindu mentality’ on Pak TV. @WasimJaffer14 who is crying for cricket in Pakistan won’t tell you thispic.twitter.com/yq6gDraHY2
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) September 21, 2021
In an interview, world renowned Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, revealed his desire for the fulfilment of the Islamic prophecy, known as Ghazwa-e-Hind, which states an Islamic invasion and conquer of the entire Indian subcontinent.
Proof 3 #CricketJihad: @shoaib100mph fantasising Ghazwa e Hind “Massacre of Hindus followed by Islamic rule in India. Muslim forces will invade India and there will be beautiful color of blood all over”@WasimJaffer14 crying for Pakistan won’t tell u thispic.twitter.com/sRlYmkOVZW
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) September 21, 2021
Last year, he advocated the two nation doctrine which resulted in India’s horrific partition, and declared that he believed in it while speaking on a cricket show hosted by Aaj Tak.
In addition to playing the game, Pakistani cricketers were primarily interested in converting other cricketers who were non-Muslims to Islam. Inzamam-ul-Haq, who had captained Pakistani cricket team and also served as chief selector, can be seen narrating one such incident involving legendary West Indies batsman, Brian Lara.
Proof 4 #CricketJihad: How Mohammad Yusuf (ex Christian Yusuf Yohana) and Inzamam ul Haq invited @BrianLara for dinner and asked him to convert to Islam.@WasimJaffer14 crying for Pakistan cricket won’t tell u this.pic.twitter.com/E9Lwjs7JgZ
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) September 21, 2021
Inzamam-ul-Haq once revealed specifics on how the Pakistani dressing room serves as a fertile ground for spreading Islam, including the fact that Indian Muslim players were invited to listen to clerics there. He further claimed, that Harbhajan Singh had almost converted to Islam.
Proof 12 #CricketJihad: Inzamam- “Pak team would invite Indian Muslim players @IrfanPathan @MohammadKaif @ImZaheer to listen to Pak Mullah @TariqJamilOFCL‘s speeches in Pak dressing room. @harbhajan_singh almost converted listening to Islamic speeches.pic.twitter.com/TlpEnd6iHN
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) September 21, 2021
Shahid Afridi, another of their contemporaries who is well-known for his continued support of terrorism, especially the Taliban, had expressed glee at the horrors his grand father had committed in Kashmir. His ancestors, Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) Afridis, at the instance of Pakistan, invaded J&K and were responsible for the rape, murder, and looting that occurred there.
My grandfather (Abdul Baqi) was given the title of Ghazi-e-Kashmir in 1949: Afridi.
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 1, 2020
Afridi’s grandfather had attacked Kashmir in Oct 1947 and killed many Hindus.
Shahid Afridi takes pride on the atrocities his grandfather inflicted upon Kashmiri Pandits.pic.twitter.com/ZwEKAOKd8Q
In a bid to entice, non-Muslim to convert to Islam, Saqlain Mushtaq, a former Pakistani bowler, once opined that a batsman’s batting average increases by two points after converting to Islam.
Proof 9 #CricketJihad: @Saqlain_Mushtaq – “If you convert to Islam, your batting average doubles.”@WasimJaffer14 worried about Pakistan cricket won’t tell u this. pic.twitter.com/5qYJsTTYQN
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) September 21, 2021
Mohammad Rizwan offering Namaz at India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2021 match “in front of Hindus was special,” according to former Pakistani pacer Waqar Younis. He later issued an apology after receiving widespread criticism for his statement.
Former Pakistani captain Javed Miandad, a close relative of Dawood Ibrahim, attacked BCCI for their firm stance on not touring Pakistan for the 2023 Asia Cup and said, “India can go to hell if they don’t want to come to Pakistan to play cricket.”
Owing to Pakistan’s export of terror to India, which also has an negative impact on cricketing relations, the situation between the two warring countries has continued to deteriorate over many years. If Pakistan wants its players to part of tournaments organised by India, earn from it, maybe it is time the country figures out a way to stop cross border terrorism and stop inflicting terror on Indian soil.
