“First of all I want to say something over here. I want to thank you back home Pakistan and where the Muslim lives all over the world.“
When I first heard the Pakistani Skipper Shoaib Malik saying those words during the cup ceremony at the Twenty 20 finals after losing to India, the first thought that went through my mind is “He must be scared to death”. I remembered all the mystery shrouding the death of Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer after the ODI World Cup earlier this year and I thought - how could he be anything but scared?
However the world is shaking it’s head against Shoaib Malik’s comment. Many non-Pakistani Muslims are speaking out about the fact that they are patriotic to their own countries and not to Pakistan. And that Shoiab’s comments were completely out of line.
Sample: Sohel NR at BanglaCricket forums says “Pak does not represet all Muslims..India has more muslims than Pak ..he does not have to apolgize to Phatan”
and hsheth01 from Indian Pad who says “think the persons who should be most offended would be the muslims of the world who do not hold the same view as Shoaib Malik. They should launch an offensive to get an apology from Pakistan. Muslims all over the world are not supporting Pakistan”.
I remember, even after the first India v/s Pakistan match (where India won in the Bowl Out), I was gTalking with another blogger Abdul Qabiz - he was as ecstatic as I was that India won. He’s a Muslim and he supports the Indian Team completely “and I guess that goes for all the Indian Muslims” he says. After the finals he simply posts:
India has won ICC twenty-twenty cricket world-cup. Final match was entertaining, breath-taking and totally cool. Congratulations to everyone. I hope and wish, Indian team continues the same form and wins the upcoming series with Australia.
However the comment has spurred more than just the Indian Muslims (& indeed non-Pakistani Muslims) to condemn the statement. It has raised bigger issues - of how and why the skipper should feel like he had to apologize to Muslims all over the world in the first place?
Mukul Kesavan from Cricinfo makes this summary:
The problem here isn’t the syntax, it is the sentiment. I don’t expect Shoaib Malik to be a politically correct intellectual, but it is reasonable to expect him to know the world of cricket that he inhabits.
It is a world where Muslims, Hindus and a Sikh currently play for England, where Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and a Hindu play for Sri Lanka, where Hashim Amla turns out for South Africa, where a Patel plays for New Zealand, where Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Hindus play (and have always played) for India.
Why would Shoaib think, then, that the Muslims of the world were collectively rooting for the Pakistan team or that they felt let down by its defeat? Did he stop to think of how Danish Kaneria, his Hindu team-mate, might feel hearing his Test skipper all but declare that the Pakistan team is a Muslim team that plays for the Muslims of the world?
The Times of India (TNN dated 26th Sept) hit the nail on the head (the ball on the wicket?) with this comment:
While the charitable explanation for Malik’s remarks was that he was trying to preempt an Islamic backlash at home and did so with poor command of English, the general feeling was he unwittingly revealed the growing radacalisation of the Pakistani cricket team.
The world online and off has made a huge noise about Shoiab’s comment. I hope any radicles who need to, sit up and listen. And perhaps next time, we can keep religion off the sports field.
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Cross Posted at My India Report
Tags: Backlash, ICC-World-Twenty-20, India, Islam, Muslims, Pakistan, Radacalisation, Radicalism, Radicles, Shoiab-Malik, Twenty20-World-Cup
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September 26th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Yes You are right,
But your should read Shoib Malik comment ike this
“First of all I want to say something over here. I want to thank you back home Pakistan and where the terrorists lives all over the world.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
its malik’s mistake to think muslims all over the world supported them,definitly not INDIAN muslims.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Perhaps he was trying to show the world how bad the situation is back home without getting into trouble with the PCB.
September 26th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
I felt bad intially but then humor took over and I had a new post at my blog
“Interestingly either of the two things can be true. Most muslims do not pray for Pakistan and instead consider India to be their real representative or Allah does not like Pakistanis.”
September 26th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
its funny to read all these comments .. i believe muslims all over the world have a lot more important issues than who thanking whom.. as far shoaib maliks comment is concerned i dont htink its an isolated incident and to just inform this intellectual group of people i would like to say that ALLAH almighty has made muslims one nation .whereever they may be and patriotism in fact is first for ALLAH and than only to other identities only if the coincide with the will of almighty ALLAH.
September 26th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
“Right Said Fred” but as u said it is not him but the country that he comes from.If he had lost to any other country i doubt if he would have said the same, but since the loss is against India.. he had to safeguard his “xxx”.It was a good game of cricket and am so glad that we are on the winning side! WAH INDIA!
September 26th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
You know the world is off tilt,
when the best rapper is a white guy,
the best golfer is a black guy,
the tallest basketball player is Chinese,
when Germany doesn’t want to go to war
… and when the Pakistani criket team has a hindu leg spinner
wel i think u guys shud ignore da poor fellas comment .. perhaps it was a `tongue of slip`
or maybe he would have got a swollen (red?, blue?, black?) butt from Mush if he didnt say that.
Life is too short to be pissed off on these kinda things u know
September 26th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Well,
How can any religion have any place on the sports field when the whole of indian diaspora all over the world has only one religion and that’s “CRICKET”……This is the only religion which unites india like no other game.I was in Inox watching this superb match and it ended as expected in a most thrilling way one can demand for.
As soon as the match ended the person standing next to me jumped on to me as if i knew him for years. I didn’t know the religion of that person and i m sure neither he was mine.
These people always say “INSHALLAH”. Do they really know the meaning of the word “ALLAH”? If they knew i don’t think they would have commented in such a irresponsible or shall we say SCARED TO DEATH WAY????
Everytime they lose to india they are not sure whether they will be able to enter pakistan safely. So that way his comments are pretty understandable.
He must have thought he’s just diluted the effect of losing to india twice by his so called generous comments….
I have many muslim friends and i am sure they were as ecstatic as me when they saw india winning the T20WorldCup.
There is no place for radicles in any sport.One must understand everytime winning is not important but sometimes loosing with a BIG HEART shows how much of a good values as a sportsman you have….
Anywayz india has won atlast so Chak De India…..
And Mel sorry for using so much of space on ur blog without ur permission….
September 26th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
IT is strange that amidst all the excitement of a very challenging match the Pakistani captain’s statement should irk so much. Sports is one area where caste creed or colour is not to be taken into account..Invoking the help of one’s faith to succeed or thank him for success is a very natural instinct, but using the same to justify one’s failure is certainly uncalled for.mantaining a seculiar approach in sports should be an unwritten law.forgive the Captain”He knows not what he said.”
September 26th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
well…the only religion a sportsperson would belong to would be “sportsmanship”…
September 26th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
first of all shut the f*** up, veeru… pakistanis are not terrorists. you shouldnt be reading these blogs if your mental age doesn’t allow you to think beyond that.
secondly, i feel really sorry for you, wasif… because the unfortuantely or fortunately the truth is that indian muslims support india, play for india and do so from the bottom of their hearts. so you can take your ‘world muslim country’ to the moon and start all over again. silly boy
September 27th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Well, I don’t blame Shoaib or the Pakistani Junta.
A vast majority of the population in Pakistan is kind of brainwashed over time. This has been the case ever since pakistan was created… As a result, they have a different understanding of reality. Its impossible to argue or talk meaningfully to such people who live in their own world!
This true not just for sports, but any issue that concerns India and religion!
For such “Brainwashed” people, countries are no boundaries. Religion is ‘the’ boundary. Its the reality and its unfortunate.
September 27th, 2007 at 8:56 am
i think he must be scared of people breaking his house down and rioting at his home since pakistan loss and obviously scared after what happeneed to bob woolmer and some reason could be his uncomfortability with english which i think is a total BS as said in the news
September 27th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
I was quite sure that this comment would create a stir and I even argued over it with my friends. Unfortunately with all the India WIN craze I think the press missed out on this one. But to the rescue comes the internet which has taken care of the issue and made a point of it.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
If you mean Shoaib was apologizing to all the Terrorists of the world, then!!
@ Mita: Yes, I agree with you. It’s heartening to see the number of Indian Muslims who’ve spoken out against the statement.
@ Bluesmoon, Dragon, Asha, Tulan, rdx: I think he meant no harm, in fact quite the opposite, he was worried about possible (& probable?) harm intended towards him.
The point is that if a captain of a team that played brilliantly enough to come to the finals of a world cup - and also to almost win it - is so scared that he has to make “apologies” of this nature, then there is more to it. The Whys & Hows must be dealt with - Sports & Religion do not mix.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
@ Wasif: I am a Christian who takes my faith very seriously. I believe too that all Christians are spiritually one body with Christ as our supreme head. If people of other faiths have similar spiritual beliefs, then in essence we are similar.
However we are not discussing spirituality, but rather physical things, like sport on earth and bearing allegiance to the countries we come from
I think most of “this intellectual group of people” would agree with me that we need to be loving and respectful towards all irrespective of our spiritual beliefs and that sports and religion should not be mixed.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Yes indeed. Hopefully, we are headed towards this ideal. Incidentally, no need to apologize, I love reading people’s feedback & opinions regardless of the size!
@ Sujata: erm, ok
@ witchdoctor: Since you didn’t direct your comments at me, I won’t reply.
Just would like to say that fighting people whose views don’t coincide with yours with insult and obscenity isn’t as productive and instead furthers issues that need to be dealt with.
@ Arjun: “For such “Brainwashed” people, countries are no boundaries. Religion is ‘the’ boundary. Its the reality and its unfortunate.”
If this indeed is true, it is something that needs to be addressed and dealt with on an urgent and international base, don’t you think? I think all the controversy abounds because others fear the same as you have mentioned.
@ Kapil:
Which is one of the reasons I love the internet! We leave no stone unturned. Has it’s pros and cons but hopefully in the long run - since it gives every common person a voice to be heard from - hopefully it’ll add up to good things.
September 29th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
I cannot disagree more with Shoaib Malik.Me;along with my Muslim friendz supported INDIA.I seriously believe that,he hadn’t recovered 4m the shock of losing, while he waz speakin..
October 4th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Talking about being ‘brainwashed’ and having grown up in the sub-continent but having moved out subsequently, I must comment that when I first met Pakistanis what I first realised is how similar we to each other.
It is a pity that politics on both sides of the border make enemies of people we should consider brothers. Not related to cricket or religion but I thought this was relevant
October 15th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
@ IC: “when I first met Pakistanis what I first realised is how similar we to each other”
I guess it’s true that we’re all politically brainwashed to some extent. And it is a pity. A major shame.