A video clip showing a Pakistani TV anchor ridiculing the English speaking skills of national cricket team captain Mohammad Rizwan has gone viral on social media, drawing criticism. In the video, TV presenter Tabish Hashmi is seen making fun of Rizwan’s English, while former cricketers Mohammad Amir, Ahmed Shehzad, and Rashid Latif are seen laughing at the mockery.
Hashmi is heard saying, “He represents 25 crore people. We want our representative to speak well, look well, say sensible things, play fearless cricket with honesty. When I watch my captain Mohammad Rizwan in press conferences, I’m not saying he should speak in English. He can talk in Urdu but he should make some sense. What is this ‘sometimes you win, or you learn. Sometimes it’s cramp, sometimes it’s acting’?” Amir appeared to suppress his laughter, while Latif was smiling, and Ahmed Shehzad laughed openly at the mimicry.
The segment has been widely condemned by internet users.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan voiced his disappointment after the team’s elimination from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 concluded at the bottom of Group A after their final group match against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain. Having already been out of contention for the semi-finals following defeats to New Zealand and India, the team led by Mohammad Rizwan finished the tournament with just one point.
Reflecting on their performance, Rizwan acknowledged that the team’s composition was disrupted by injuries to Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman.
“We wanted to perform well for our nation, as expectations are very high. Our performance was disappointing,” Rizwan stated, as quoted by ICC.
Referring to Saim Ayub’s injury, he added, “The team combination was built around players who had been performing well in Australia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Sudden injuries can disrupt the team’s balance.”
“As captain, I consider this factor. While team balance was affected, it’s not an excuse. Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub’s injuries were setbacks, but we need to learn from this experience,” Rizwan elaborated.
When questioned about the strength of Pakistan’s bench, Rizwan emphasized the need for further development, particularly in domestic cricket.
“We aim for improvements across various aspects. For Pakistan to achieve a higher standard, we need greater awareness and professionalism. We see glimpses of that in the Champions Cup, but more improvement is necessary,” the 32-year-old cricketer concluded.
