Indian women’s team cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues is being called the female version of Pakistani wicket-keeper batsman Muhammad Rizwan, according to Indian journalist Shubhankar Mishra.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said, “People are calling Jemimah the Indian female version of Pakistan cricketer Muhammar Rizwan.”

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Background of the story:

One of Mumbai’s oldest clubs, Khar Gymkhana, has cancelled the membership of Indian women’s cricket star Jemimah Rodrigues. Some members of the Gymkhana alleged that her father, Ivan Rodrigues, organised religious conversion activities there.

This decision was made during the club’s annual general body meeting on October 20, 2024. Members were concerned about the club’s premises being used for religious gatherings.

According to The Indian Express, Ivan organised around 35 gatherings under the name Brother Manuel Ministries over 18 months in the club’s presidential hall, which led to objections from some club members who claimed these events aimed to convert “vulnerable” individuals.

“We hear about conversions all over the country, but it’s happening right under our nose… As per Khar Gymkhana’s by-laws, no religious activity is permitted”, Shiv Malhotra, a member of the club’s managing committee, said.

Former Gymkhana president Nitin Gadekar stated that he had seen such activities at the club for some time. Following these events, the club decided to revoke Jemimah Rodrigues’ three-year membership, which was granted in 2023.

The initial membership grant had made her the first Indian female cricketer to join the club, and in 2023, Khar Gymkhana invited Rodrigues to use its facilities.

The allegations surface at a crucial time in her cricket career, as she is preparing to represent India in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.

Why is she called the female version of Muhammad Rizwan?

In December 2023, a video of the Pakistan cricket team’s wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan making a speech in a mosque in Melbourne, Australia, went viral. According to the viral video on social media, after arriving in Melbourne, wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan went to a mosque to give a speech.

“I believe that a human being is a brand ambassador of two things. If a person is a Muslim, they represent Islam wherever they go. The second thing is that they are Pakistan’s brand ambassador. It doesn’t matter what anyone says,” he said.

Rizwan has since been criticised by some social media users, including national cricketer Ahmed Shehzad. At the same time, most fans supported him for spreading peaceful religion in the world.