NEW DELHI: Pakistan fast bowler
Haris Rauf
became embroiled in controversy on Tuesday following the emergence of a video showing him engaged in a heated verbal altercation with a fan. The incident occurred after Pakistan's disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, where they suffered unexpected defeats to tournament debutants USA and their traditional rivals, India, despite initially being in a strong position.
In the viral video, Rauf is seen walking with his wife when they encounter a group of people.
While the exact details of the conversation are unclear, it is alleged that the group was taunting Rauf over Pakistan's poor performance in the tournament.
Reacting to the provocation, the cricketer appeared visibly agitated and rushed towards the group, crossing over a hedge in the process.
Despite his wife's attempts to intervene and calm him down, Rauf proceeded to remove his slippers and advance towards the group before being restrained by one of the individuals.
Following the incident, Rauf stated, "I will not hesitate to respond when my family is dragged into the matter."
Rauf wrote on X: "I decided to not bring this on social media, but now that the video is out, I feel it is necessary to address the situation.
"As public figures, we are open to receiving all kinds of feedback from the public. They are entitled to support or criticize us. Nevertheless, when it comes to my parent and my family, I will not hesitate to respond accordingly. It is important to show respect towards people and their families, irrespective of their professions," he further wrote.
After Rauf's scuffle with the fan, the Pakistan's pacer's teammates and former cricketers came in his support.
"It is absolutely disgraceful how Haris Rauf was treated. No one has the right to belittle and disrespect another person. I'm also shocked by those who have shared this video. Why prioritize a few likes over our humanity? Stay strong, Haris. We stand united with you," Shaheen Shah Afridi said.
Pakistan pacer Hassan Ali said the criticism should be constructive.
"I've seen a video circulating online about Harry and I urge all my dearest cricket fans to remember that criticism can be constructive without being hurtful. Let's keep the debate respectful and considerate of the players’ families. Let's promote love, peace and respect for the GAME. We all want
Pakistan cricket
to rise, love you all," Ali said.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi called the matter 'unacceptable'.
"The Haris Rauf incident is totally unacceptable! We should never lose respect or cross the line. The ones spreading hatred should stop now," Afridi said.
"It is the right of fans to criticise us for performances. We accept it and try to learn from it. It is not OKAY to attack anyone personally in their family’s presence, unacceptable. How would u feel if someone attacked u personally while with family? #HarisRauf," Shadab Khan said.
"Ap family k sath ja rhy hain aur koi apko Maa behn ki Gali deta rahay, kio k ap tu public property hain. Nonsense and unacceptable!! Criticism is always welcomed but it shouldn’t come in form of disrespect or abuse please," Mohammad Nawaz said.
"It is irrelevant whether the person who disrespected Haris Rauf was from Pakistan or India. What truly matters is that this individual lacked values and manners. No one has the right to disrespect any human being, especially in front of their family members. Such appalling behavior must be stopped. Values like tolerance, respect, and compassion are increasingly rare commodities," Mohammad Rizwan said.
English (US) ·