Waqar Younis apologises after his ‘Namaz’ comments draw global ire

“In
the
heat
of
the
moment,
I
said
something
which
I
did
not
mean
which
has
hurt
the
sentiments
of
many.
I
apologise
for
this,
this
was
not
intended
at
all,
a
genuine
mistake.
Sports
unites
people
regardless
of
race,
colour,
or
religion.
#apologies,”
Younis
tweeted.

Younis’ comment
on
Mohammad
Rizwan
offering
namaz
during
the
drinks
break
in
the
India-Pakistan
game
in
the
ICC
T20
World
Cup
on
Sunday
had
not
gone
down
well
with
former
cricketers
as
well
as
Pakistan
fans.

While
cricket
fans
across
both
nations
have
lauded
Pakistan’s
dominant
performance,
former
pacer
Waqar
finding
joy
in
something
beyond
cricket
had
left
fans
unimpressed.

“The
manner
in
which
Babar
and
Rizwan
batted,
the
strike-rotation,
the
look
on
their
faces,
it
was
amazing.
The
best
thing,
what
Rizwan
did,
Mashalla,
he
offered
the
Namaz
on
the
ground
surrounded
by
Hindus,
that
was
really
something
very
special
for
me,” said
Waqar
on
ARY
News.

Former
India
cricket
Aakash
Chopra
was
unimpressed
with
Waqar’s
remarks.”Et
tu,
Waqar!” Chopra
tweeted.

Mohammad
Rizwan
and
skipper
Babar
Azam
put
on
a
remarkable
show
on
Sunday
as
Pakistan
thrashed
India
by
10
wickets
at
the
Dubai
International
Cricket
Stadium.

Rizwan
(79
not
out)
and
Babar
(68
not
out)
didn’t
give
any
chance
to
Indian
bowlers
to
come
on
top
as
the
two
batsmen
dominated
the
proceedings.

Pakistan
chased
down
the
target
of
152
without
losing
a
wicket
as
India
looked
clueless
in
their
opening
match.

This
was
the
first
time
that
India
has
lost
a
T20I
by
ten
wickets.

Coincidentally,
this
was
also
the
first
time
that
Pakistan
has
won
a
T20I
by
ten
wickets.
Shaheen
Afridi
was
adjudged
as
Player
of
the
Game
after
a
three-wicket
haul.