During the fourth T20I against New Zealand at Bay Oval, Pakistan cricket players were seen breaking their Ramzan fast on the field.
In a video, a benched player brought a tray of fruits and drinks for the team.
After the video went viral on social media, netizens started targeting the players for breaking their fast on the field.
As the sun set during the match, the players took a moment to observe iftar, the meal to break their daily fast during Ramzan.
This wasn’t the first time. During the third T20I at Eden Park in Auckland, the Pakistani team had similarly broken their fast during a drinks break. The video from the latest match quickly went viral with social media users sharing mixed reactions.
While some applauded the players, others trolled them for breaking their fast on the field.
Pakistan suffered a crushing defeat. The team lost by 115 runs while chasing a target of 221.
The Men in Green had previously kept the series alive with a stunning win in the third T20I as Hasan Nawaz scored 105 off 45 balls. However, Nawaz failed to replicate his performance this time. He scored only a single-digit figure.
The top-order collapse left Pakistan struggling. Irfan Khan and Abdul Samad managed to reach double figures.
Samad’s 44 off 30 deliveries offered a glimmer of hope but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.
New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy and Zakary Foulkes dominated the bowling attack.
The video of Pakistan players breaking their Ramzan fast on the field sparked a debate online.
One of the netizens wrote, “2 min pavilion me jakar bhi to khaa sakte hai.. what is the point of eating on the field?”
Another person wrote, “Cricket chhod ke maulvi ban jao.”
Another netizen wrote, “Bro this is show off, not beauty. That’s a cricket field. A professional place with professional actions. You guys always mix up things with religious practices. How will it like if somebody stops playing because church bail is ringing or a very important evening prayer is going on, so Indian team stops fielding. Breaking day long fast and sharing food together, is a very nice tradition. Respect. But the place wasn’t appropriate I guess.”
The fifth and final T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand is scheduled for March 26 in Wellington.
