‘Said something in the heat of the moment’: Waqar Younis apologises for his remarks

Former Pakistan pacer and bowling coach Waqar Younis has apologised for his remarks after Pakistan’s 10-wicket win over India in the ongoing T20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday.

A day after the match, the former fast bowler was invited as a guest to ARY News to discuss Pakistan’s comprehensive win. During the discussion, an overexcited Younis said that it was very special for him to watch Mohammad Rizwan offer Namaz in front of Hindus during the match. Opener Rizwan was seen offering prayers during the drinks break in the India-Pakistan game.

Waqar’s comment drew sharp reactions from the cricket fraternity and from Pakistani fans. Twitter was flooded with reactions lambasting Younis for his unsavoury remark.

Indian cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle and Akash Chopra had also expressed their displeasure over Waqar’s comments. “For a person of Waqar Younis’ stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up sport and to hear this is terrible,” Bhogle wrote.

Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer also wrote, “Absolutely vile and disgusting comments from Waqar Younis.”

Realising his mistake after the criticism, Waqar wrote on Twitter, “In the heat of the moment, I said something which I did not mean which has hurt the sentiments of many. I apologise for this, this was not intended at all, genuine mistake. Sports unites people regardless of race, colour or religion. #apologies.”

Waqar also apologised in his show on A Sports, saying: “I was all excited that Pakistan won and watching Rizwan praying also made me proud. My intentions were not to harm anyone’s sentiments. I apologise if anyone got hurt by my comments.”

Pakistan brought an end to India’s near-three-decade domination of them in the most convincing fashion, embarrassing their arch-rivals by 10 wickets in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup.