Former cricketer Abdul Razzaq has been receiving flak on social media for passing sexist remarks on Pakistani female cricketer Nida Dar.
A small video clip of the interview in which both Razzak and Dar appeared together went viral on social media this week. The interview was held in June in the program tete-a-tete hosted by Nouman Ijaz. The clip of the interview triggered a debate online.
The conversation started with the role of women in cricket and sports. It was during this conversation that Razzaq commented on Dar’s manly look. Ijaz asked Dar which profession she would have opted for, if not, cricket. She said she would still have chosen to become an athlete.
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To this, comedian Honey Albela laughed and said,”Do you have some kind of allergy to marriage? You don’t want to talk about it at all.” Wafa Butt, another host of the show then questioned how many sports academies are available for women in the country?
“I know there are few at the college level,” Ijaz responded. Dar added, “If some colleges and schools have space, then they do try and incorporate cricket in their extra curriculum activities. Girls from rural areas and villages move to the city to play cricket, in hopes to pursue this as a profession.”
“Oh, they don’t get married,” Razzaq quipped. “Their field is as such. When they become cricketers, they strive to be as equal as their male counterparts, if not better than them. They want to prove that not only men but they can also do it. The feeling [to get married] is gone [by the time they excel].” He further added by saying, “If you shake her [Dar] hand, she is anything but feminine.”
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Dar decided to respond to Razzaq and shared, “Our profession is such that we have to workout. We have to bat, bowl, field. Hence, we have to stay fit,” said Dar.
Once more this time another comedian pic.twitter.com/MgV9n1qzSM
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Butt then questioned why women cricketers can’t play with long hair. “You absolutely can play with long hair,” Dar answered. Ijaz added that playing cricket would be difficult if the game is affected by long hair. There are certain requirements for each game. You can’t play cricket in a three-piece suit. The players have to abide by the requirements of the game.”
Social media users commented on how much sexism female cricketers face since everyone in the show jumped on her. Pakistani social media users said that Nida Dar is a Pakistani female cricketer and is an inspiration for girls who want to pursue cricket. She is a star and must be respected and appreciated.