There was abuse hurled at my wife, it was probably the worst it's ever been: Tabraiz Shamsi

In the fast-paced world of cricket, where celebrations and gestures often add an extra layer of excitement to the game, South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi found himself in the eye of a social media storm after a unique wicket celebration during the second T20I against India on December 12 at St George's Park.

Known for his strange celebrations, Shamsi's latest move involved removing a boot and pretending to talk into it, simulating a phone call after dismissing Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav. However, what was intended as a fun moment turned into a social media saga when some Indian fans perceived it as disrespectful.

"People took it in a negative way; they thought it was disrespectful," Shamsi told Cricbuzz. "I had so much abuse hurled at me. It was probably the worst it's ever been. There was also abuse hurled at my wife. I didn't appreciate that. It's uncalled for. It's fine if you want to have a dig at the players, but to involve family and say nasty things, that pushes it to another level.

"I feel that if players don't say anything about it, then people think they have free licence. More people need to speak up and say it's not OK. Yes, we're all trying our best. Yes, your team might not win or you might not agree with certain things. But you need to behave like a human being. You can't carry on like an animal," he said.

In response to the abuse, Shamsi took to social media to defend his celebration, stating, "It's just a fun celebration which a lot of kids enjoy and means no disrespect towards the batter. All you guys hurling abuse are just giving other genuine cricket-loving fans from your country a bad name."

However, his attempt to diffuse the situation only fuelled the fire, with some responses crossing the line into personal attacks. Shamsi called for more players to speak out against such behaviour, emphasising the need for a respectful online environment.

"People know that because we are sportsmen we can't really say anything back, and they take advantage of it. I'm never shy to express my opinion, so from time to time I let people have a piece of my mind - if they're stepping over the line. But you can never win that battle."

Shamsi's experience sheds light on the darker side of social media, where public figures, including athletes, often face unwarranted abuse. The cricketer also joined the conversation surrounding the ICC's handling of players' expressions on the field.

I would like the ICC to explain what exactly has [Khawaja] done wrong: Shamsi

Australian batter Usman Khawaja's attempts to raise awareness about Israel's actions in Gaza were met with ICC warnings and charges. Shamsi voiced his support for Khawaja, questioning the double standards and calling for clarification on what players can express on the field.

"I would like the ICC to explain what exactly has [Khawaja] done wrong? Why the double standards?" Many cricketers have taken a knee in support of Black Lives Matter (BLM) - West Indies still do wear a BLM logo on their collars - and Marnus Labuschagne has a stylised eagle on his bat, representing his favourite bible verse," he added.