Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan has become the centre of controversy and online trolling following his dedication of Pakistan's record-breaking win against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad to the "brothers and sisters in Gaza," a region controlled by Hamas, which had recently carried out an attack in Israel.
During Pakistan's successful chase of a challenging 345-run target in the World Cup 2023, Rizwan, along with Abdullah Shafique, who scored a century, played crucial roles in securing their second victory. In a historic chase, Pakistan batter Mohammad Rizwan dedicated his performance to the victims of the Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza.
Rizwan expressed his sentiments on Twitter, saying, "This was for our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Happy to contribute to the win. Credits to the whole team and especially Abdullah Shafique and Hassan Ali for making it easier. Extremely grateful to the people of Hyderabad for the amazing hospitality and support throughout."
Rizwan's gesture of solidarity with Gaza however has sparked angry reactions from fans, with some interpreting it as support for Hamas. Many expressed their strong disapproval on social media. It is also worth noting that Rizwan's tweet appears to be in violation of the code of conduct established by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has strict rules regarding cricketers making political and religious statements.
In a similar incident in 2014, the ICC banned English cricketer Moeen Ali from wearing "Save Gaza" and "Free Palestine" wristbands while playing for England. The ICC's statement at the time noted that their equipment and clothing regulations do not permit the display of messages related to political, religious, or racial activities or causes during international matches. Ali was warned not to wear the wristbands on the field of play and was reminded that he could express his views on such causes away from the cricket field.