'Who Asked Rizwan to Perform Namaz in Ground?': Ex-PAK Spinner Accuses PCB of 'Finding Faults in Others'

Former cricketer Danish Kaneria has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for filing a complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) against the crowd’s behaviour during the India vs Pakistan match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Several videos of Pakistani players being subjected to religion-centric chants and boos were circulated on social media, prompting the board to knock at the doors of the global cricketing body.

The PCB also lodged a protest with the International Cricket Council over the lack of visas issued to Pakistani journalists and fans hoping to attend the 2023 World Cup.

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Kaneria took potshots at the PCB, stating that the board is just finding ‘faults in others’ and not looking at their own mistakes. The former spinner further highlighted the incidents that sparked debates in the ongoing showpiece event, including Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur calling the World Cup a ‘BCCI event’ and Rizwan offering Namaz on the field.

“Who asked Pakistani journalist Zainab Abbas to comment against India and Hindus? Who asked Mickey Arthur to call ICC event as BCCI event? Who asked Rizwan to perform Namaz in playground? Don’t find faults in others,” Kaneria posted in X (formerly Twitter).

Meanwhile, news agency PTI has stated that PCB’s cricket management committee chairmanZaka Ashraf returned on Monday and is having a series of meetings with the senior board officials to discuss his visit to India.

“Zaka Ashraf was himself present at Ahmedabad for the match against India and was witness to some incidents which has left him unhappy, despite the Indian cricket officials extending him a warm welcome after his visit there,” the report quoted a source as saying.

The source added that Zaka was extremely disappointed with the players’ show against India and before returning had told them to forget the Ahmedabad defeat and look forward to their remaining matches.

Earlier Pakistan’s team director Arthur, spoke about the crowd behaviour and its impact on his team after the defeat to India and ICC chairman, Greg Barclay, responded that the sport’s world governing body was doing its best to make the World Cup a successful event.