An Indian lawyer has formally complained to the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Mohammad Rizwan, for offering prayer on the cricket field.
This marks the second complaint against Rizwan during the ongoing World Cup in India.
Prior to that, Mohammad Rizwan dedicated his match-winning century against Sri Lanka to the people of Gaza in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, the ICC did not take any action in response to this act.
Advocate Vineet Jindal, from the Supreme Court of India, has now filed another complaint against Mohammad Rizwan. In his formal complaint to ICC Chairman Greg Barclay, Jindal stated, “This is a complaint about Pakistan Cricket Player, Mohammad Rizwan, who was seen offering namaz on the cricket field during his team’s opening match of the ongoing ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 on Friday (October 6) against the Netherlands in Hyderabad.”
Jindal argues that Rizwan’s act of offering prayers on the field, particularly in front of a mixed audience, goes against the spirit of sportsmanship. He further contends that this act raises questions about the player’s adherence to the spirit of the game and suggests a display of religious and political ideology.
This is not the first time Rizwan has been the subject of such a complaint. In 2021, he similarly offered prayers on the ground after Pakistan’s victory against India in the ICC T20 World Cup.
Advocate Vineet Jindal has urged the ICC to take strict action against Mohammad Rizwan. It’s worth noting that Jindal is the same lawyer who previously filed a complaint against Pakistan presenter Zainab Abbas for alleged “anti-Hindu” statements. Abbas, who was in India as a presenter for the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup 2023, left the country on October 9, citing “personal reasons” according to the international cricket body.
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