Muslims in India encounter numerous challenges and restrictions in practicing their faith, often influenced by far-right Hindu nationalist policies. Even cricketers from the Muslim community, like Indian fast bowler Mohammad Shami, face scrutiny. After India’s defeat to Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021, Shami received online criticism.
Despite this, Shami regained honor by becoming the top wicket-taker in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, taking 24 wickets with an impressive average of 10.70 in just seven matches. However, controversy arose when he was observed refraining from completing a “sajda” (prostration) while celebrating a remarkable five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in Mumbai.
The incident sparked discussions on social media, with diverse comments from netizens. Addressing the issue in a conversation with Indian journalist Vikrant Gupta, Shami asserted his pride as an Indian Muslim.
He emphasized that no one could have prevented him from performing sajda and questioned why there was an issue with him prostrating on the field. Shami expressed that if he needed permission to make a sajda, he questioned why he should continue living in the country.
It is worth noting that some Indians had previously made a fuss about Pakistani wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan praying on the field during World Cup matches.
Shan Masood Takes The Helm As Captain For Karachi Kings In PSL 9
In another development, the Karachi Kings, a team in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), announced that Shan Masood, Pakistan’s Test team captain, would be leading the team in the upcoming ninth edition of the tournament. The Kings made this announcement on their official Twitter account, welcoming Shan Masood as the new captain.
In addition to the captaincy announcement, the Karachi Kings also revealed that they selected New Zealand batter Tim Seifert in the Diamond category for the upcoming PSL season. In the previous edition, the team was led by Imad Wasim, who has since joined Islamabad United.
Meanwhile, the Quetta Gladiators retained Sarfaraz Ahmed as their team captain for the ninth edition. The Gladiators also made significant picks in the draft, selecting Sherfane Rutherford in the Platinum category and acquiring pace bowler Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz.
