Shoaib Akhtar Criticizes Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul for their Reaction to Abdul Razzaq’s Controversial Comment on Aishwarya Rai
Former Pakistani all-rounder Abdul Razzaq drew criticism for making a controversial comment on Indian actress Aishwarya Rai while criticizing the Pakistan cricket team’s performance in the World Cup 2023. The comment was made during a press conference, where Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul were also present. While Afridi and Gul did not make the comment themselves, their failure to condemn it during the press conference did not sit well with many, including Shoaib Akhtar.
Following the video of Razzaq’s comment and Afridi and Gul’s reaction going viral on social media, Akhtar expressed his disappointment with the trio. However, he later suggested that Afridi may not have fully understood what Razzaq had said.
“I just had a word with Shahid Afridi. He called and said that he genuinely did not understand what was said, otherwise he would have condemned it there and then,” Akhtar revealed in a tweet.
Akhtar further condemned Razzaq’s inappropriate joke/comparison on social media, stating, “I highly condemn the inappropriate joke/comparison made by Razzaq. No woman should be disrespected like this. People seated beside him should have raised their voice right away rather than laughing and clapping.”
He also clarified that Afridi had condemned the comment on TV and expressed his disapproval to him over the phone.
Since the controversy erupted, Razzaq has issued a clarification and apologized for his remarks. Afridi and Gul have also issued statements condemning the incident during the press conference.
The incident has sparked a debate, with many expressing their disappointment in the lack of immediate condemnation from Afridi and Gul. The controversy highlights the importance of addressing and speaking out against disrespectful comments towards women in the public sphere.
Topics mentioned in this article: Abdul Razzaq, Aishwarya Rai, Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Pakistan cricket team, World Cup 2023.
