Waqar Younis apologises for controversial statement on Mohammad Rizwan’s match-winning knock against India

Former Pakistan cricketer Waqar Younis has issued an apology for his controversial remark after Mohammad Rizwan played a match-winning hand against India on Sunday, October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. In the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 match, Rizwan scored a sparkling 55-ball 79 and stitched together an unbeaten 152-run stand with Babar Azam.

He stayed unbeaten and guided his team through to a thumping 10-wicket win against Virat Kohli’s Men in Blue. Thereafter, Younis, one of Pakistan’s greatest fast bowlers, said that he was delighted to see Rizwan offering Namaz around Hindus present at the venue.

Following his statement, Younis was greeted with a lot of flak. However, the retired pacer apologised and said that he didn’t have any intention of hurting the sentiments of people.

He took to Twitter and wrote, “In the heat of the moment, I said something which I did not mean which has hurt the sentiments of many. I apologise for this, this was not intended at all, a genuine mistake. Sports unite people regardless of race, colour, or religion. #apologies,”

Waqar Younis’ tweet

In the heat of the moment, I said something which I did not mean which has hurt the sentiments of many. I apologise for this, this was not intended at all, genuine mistake. Sports unites people regardless of race, colour or religion. #apologies 🙏🏻

— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) October 26, 2021

“The manner in which Babar and Rizwan batted, the strike-rotation, the look on their faces, it was amazing. The best thing, what Rizwan did, Mashalla, he offered the Namaz on the ground surrounded by Hindus, that was really something very special for me,” Younis earlier had said.

Earlier, Harsha Bhogle, the renowned sports journalist, also slammed Younis for the controversial statement.

“For a person of Waqar Younis’ stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up the sport and to hear this is terrible,” he said.

For a person of Waqar Younis' stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up sport and to hear this is terrible.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 26, 2021

As far as Rizwan is concerned, he has been at his very best in 2021. He is currently the leading run-scorer in T20Is in the ongoing year along with Babar. After his stupendous show against India, Rizwan played well against New Zealand as well.

On Tuesday, the 29-year-old scored 33 runs off 34 balls on a difficult strip to bat on at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Pakistan won the game by five wickets.