Rashid leaves bad taste in celebratory air by equating Pakistan’s win with ‘Islamic victory’

Pakistan cricket team won against India with 10 wickets, 13 balls remaining to boot on Sunday

Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid declaring Pakistan’s T20 win against India a victory for Islam has left a bad taste in the celebratory air after Pakistan cricket team’s astounding performance on Sunday.

In a video message, Rashid congratulated the Pakistan cricket team for their laud worthy performance. He added that the world’s Muslims, including those in India, stood with the Pakistan cricket team, who had achieved a big win for Islam worldwide. The federal minister finished his video by chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad, Islam Zindabad’.

Legal advisor Reema Omer said that Rashid’s statement lacked poise in the wake of victory, adding that his words were ‘dangerous and divisive’. Omer furthered that Rashid’s words were especially problematic at a time when a Muslim Indian player, Mohammad Shami, faced Islamophobic abuse in India.

Journalist Mahwash Ajaz said that Rashid shook the stable grounds on which Pakistan India stood in the aftermath of India’s defeat. Ajaz wondered who would give Rashid the mic to make such an undignified remark from the winning side.

A Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) social media team member Amjad Zardari questioned where Islam crept into sports from. Zardari said that cricket teams from other Muslim countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia did not credit Islam but their respective cricket teams when they won matches.

Journalist Shiraz Hassan added onto Zardari’s words and said that Rashid should refrain from such absurdities and keep sports free from politics and religion.

An academic, Kamran Malik said that such a statement from the federal minister was ‘careless and irresponsible’. He wondered whether Rashid would congratulate Pakistani Hindus if India won later.

A user apologized to Indian Muslims for Rashid’s statements and said that matches were not played between religions but countries.

In his video, Rashid also said that he ordered containers be cleared for Pakistanis to celebrate victory over their rivals with ease. He lamented that he couldn’t be in Dubai to witness the match himself.

Pakistan beat India in a landmark victory in the T20 match on Sunday by 10 wickets. Pakistan made 152 runs, with 13 balls remaining to boot. The men in green emerged triumphant in their 13th attempt to defeat India in the T20 series. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were the only batsmen on the field who completed the runs required to win, while Shaheen Afridi became the Man of the Match for his bowling prowess.