Former Pakistan cricketer Abdul Razzaq who previously made a derogatory statement about Indian actress Aishwarya Rai while criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now issued a public apology.
Razzaq attributed the incident to a slip of the tongue. He clarified that he intended to refer to someone else but unintentionally mentioned Aishwarya Rai.
Abdul Razzaq’s derogatory statement against Aishwarya Rai
Earlier, in response to a media question about Pakistan’s performance in the ICC World Cup, Abdul Razzaq stated, “We don’t have good intentions to develop and polish players in Pakistan. If you think that by marrying Aishwarya Rai, a good and pious kid would be born, it would never happen.”
Shahid Afridi was observed clapping and laughing in reaction to this statement.
Backlash over the remark
Abdul Razzaq’s derogatory remark about Aishwarya Rai triggered a backlash from netizens, including former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, who condemned it on his social media platform. Akhtar emphasized that no woman should be disrespected in such a manner.
Even Shahid Afridi, who initially applauded Razzaq’s statement, later condemned the remarks, stating that he hadn’t realised what Abdul Razzaq said at the time.
The incident gained widespread attention on social media amid ongoing discussions about the Pakistan cricket team’s disappointing performance in the World Cup.
