Abdul Razzaq, a prominent figure in Pakistan cricket, found himself embroiled in a significant controversy when he made derogatory remarks about Indian actress Aishwarya Rai while criticizing the performance of Babar Azam’s team in the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
This sparked a widespread backlash on social media, with criticism coming not only from fans but also from several cricketers on both sides of the border.
In response to the escalating controversy, the former cricketer issued an apology, attributing his comment on Aishwarya Rai to a mere ‘slip of the tongue.’
Razzaq appeared on social media, issuing a public apology on the matter. “Yesterday, we were talking about cricket coaching and intentions. I had a slip of the tongue and mistakenly took Aishwarya Rai’s name. I apologise to her personally. I did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiment,” he said in a video message.
#ThinkTwice Before you ????️
پہلے تو اور پھر بولو #AbdulRazzak #AbdulRazzaq #PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/CWxtdVWdP9— CRICKET JUNOON ®️ (@Cricktjunoon) November 14, 2023
During a press conference attended by figures like Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, and Umar Gul, Razzaq commented, “I’m referring to the PCB’s intentions here. When I played, I knew my captain Younis Khan had good intentions, which gave me confidence to perform for Pakistani cricket with Allah’s help.”
He continued, stating, “I believe we don’t genuinely aim to improve and nurture players. It’s like expecting me to marry Aishwarya (Rai) to have a morally upright child. So, the first step is to rectify your intentions.”
On the other hand, Shahid Afridi also condemned Razzaq’s words in an interview on a private channel and said: “I will ask him to make a public apology.”
The performance of the Pakistan cricket team in the World Cup has prompted many former players to become pundits, sharing their critical perspectives on social media and various TV channels. While some have received praise for their analysis, others have grabbed headlines for the controversial nature of their comments.
