Former Pakistan cricketer Abdul Razzaq courted controversy when he made some unwarranted comments on Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai during a media talk.
Razzaq made the controversial comment as an example to target the Pakistan Cricket Board over the team’s recent poor performances in the ICC World Cup 2023.
"Everyone over here is taking about the intention and Pakistan’s team. Actually, we don’t have good intention to develop and polish players in Pakistan. If you think that by marrying Aishwarya Rai, a good and pious kid would be wrong, it would never happen"- Abdul Razzaq.
Razzaq, while discussing former captain Younus Khan's intentions (niyat), made an analogy that indicated uncertainty about Younus' niyat, shedding light on Razzaq's own mindset (zeheniyat).
Razzaq's shocking comments on Aishwarya Rai were met with laughter from the audience. Shahid Afridi, who was on the podium, even laughed and clapped.
Some of Razzak's fellow players criticised him for his comment.This unexpected reaction further fueled the controversy, sparking discussions on various social media platforms.
The comments triggered a wave of backlash, with netizens expressing their disapproval and anger.
This is not Razzaq's first time berating a woman publicly. In 2021, he made sexist remarks about women playing cricket saying that women tend to lose their feminine side while playing cricket.