ISLAMABAD: In another incident of harassment of foreign players, an Indian lawyer, Vineet Jindal, has filed a second complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Pakistani cricketer Mohammed Rizwan. The complaint centers on Rizwan’s on-field prayer during his team’s opening match against the Netherlands in the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023.
In the complaint submitted to the ICC, while exposing the Hindu extremism, Jindal expressed concern over Rizwan’s act of offering ‘namaz’ on the cricket field, describing it as a deliberate representation of his religion, which, according to Jindal, contradicts the spirit of sportsmanship. Jindal argued that Rizwan’s actions were symbolic and intentionally depicted his religious beliefs, thus sending a message that goes against the essence of sportsmanship. He further pointed out that Rizwan’s public dedication of his match-winning century to the people of Gaza reinforced his religious and political ideology.
This is the second instance in the ongoing World Cup where a complaint has been lodged against Rizwan. Earlier, after his stellar performance against Sri Lanka, where he dedicated his century to the people of Gaza, another complaint was filed, although the ICC dismissed the concerns after being satisfied with Rizwan’s explanation.
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
The complaint also referenced a previous incident in 2021 when Rizwan offered namaz on the ground after Pakistan’s victory against India in the ICC T20 World Cup, which had sparked discussions across social media platforms.
Jindal urged the ICC to take strict action against Rizwan. The latest incident on harassment, follows recent incidents involving Pakistani sports presenter Zainab Abbas, who left India due to threats following an FIR filed against her concerning decade-old tweets.
