On Friday (2nd August), Harbhajan Singh slammed a popular Pakistani troll named Farid Khan after he tried to mock the former Indian cricketer for pointing out that Pakistan was unsafe for cricketers.
Khan had posted screenshots from the 1st Test Match between India and Pakistan, which was held at the Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore) in January 2006. In that match, Harbhajan Singh was hit for 4 consecutive sixes by ex-Pakistani cricketer Shadid Afridi.
The Pakistani troll implied that Singh did not want the Indian cricket team to visit Pakistan out of fear of being thrashed by their batsmen. “Hi, Harbhajan Singh. This is why you have security issues in Pakistan, right?” Farid Khan tweeted.
No not for this . Cricket Mai Jeet har lagi rehti hai. I will tell u the real problem is this . Check the photo ⬇️ . Now get the F…. out of here . F ka Matlab samaj aa gya hoga ya samjau? F means ur name . Plz don’t think what u r thinking th meaning of F. You know what I mean… https://t.co/BLz6TRwcB3 pic.twitter.com/bqrGlro7tC
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) August 1, 2024
A miffed Harbhajan Singh did not hold back from teaching the Pakistani troll – a lesson for life. He wrote, “No not for this. Cricket Mai Jeet har lagi rehti hai (Winning and losing is part of cricket). I will tell u the real problem is this . Check the photo.
The former Indian cricketer posted an image of the terror attack on Sri Lankan players by Islamic outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in Lahore in 2009.
“Now get the F out of here. F ka Matlab samaj aa gya hoga ya samjau? (Did you understanding the meaning of the letter F or do I need to explain). F means your name. Please don’t think what you are thinking the meaning of F. You know what I mean. Peace,” he humbled the Pakistani troll.
IANS Exclusive
— IANS (@ians_india) July 25, 2024
Delhi: On India going to Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy, former cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh says, "Why should the Indian team go to Pakistan? The security issue there is significant. The situation in Pakistan is such that… pic.twitter.com/29qeXMuiEW
A week earlier, Harbhajan Singh had highlighted security issues in Pakistan and stated that Indian players should not visit the country for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
“Why should the Indian team go to Pakistan? The security issue there is significant. The situation in Pakistan is such that incidents occur almost every day. I don’t think it’s safe to go there. The stance of the BCCI is absolutely correct, and nothing is more important than the safety of our players…” he had emphasised.
Farid Khan attempted to ridicule Singh based on his statement, only to be silenced by the former Indian cricketer on social media.
Terror attack on the Sri Lanka Team in 2009
While Pakistan continues to blame India for stalling the development of cricket in the country, the truth remains that the Pakistani army paid the price for providing a haven to terrorists.
On 3rd March 2009, the visiting Srilankan side came in the line of a deadly terror attack in Pakistan. When the attack occurred, the visitors were en route to the Qaddafi stadium in Lahore for Day 3 of the 2nd test. The target of the terrorists was the convoy of the Sri Lankan team.
Equipped with guns, hand grenades and RPGs, the Islamic terrorists stormed the Liberty Chowk in Lahore and opened fire at the convoy of cricketers.
The driver of the bus sustained gunshot wound but managed to steer the bus to safety. In the deadly attack, about 7 people were killed and 20 others were injured (including 7 Sri Lankan players).
“For some reason, I moved my head to get a better view and a split second later I felt a bullet fizz past my ear into the vacant seat,” recounted Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene. He thanked the bus driver for saving his life and that of the team members.
“We owe the team bus driver our lives for his remarkable bravery in the face of direct gunfire … Had he not had the courage and presence of mind to get the bus moving after the initial attack then we’d have been a far easier target for the terrorists,” Jaywardene said.
In the aftermath of the attack, Lahore police officer Haji Habibur Rehman tried to pin the blame on India and its Intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) by citing a non-existent Intelligence input from the Punjab government. His claim was rubbished by the police chief Khawaja Khalid Farooq.
