'If Pakistan can’t honour cricketers like Nida Dar, please send them to India' - Twitter slams Abdul Razzaq for his sexist remarks

Sexism is a very sensitive issue. And, one of the important members of the Pakistan Women’s cricket team, Nida Dar has been at the receiving end of sexism.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq had stated in a video on Neo News last month that Dar aspires to come to the level of the men cricketers. Razzaq added that Dar believes that men are not the only ones who can do everything, and even women are equally competent.

The 41-year-old Razzaq had even gone to extent of stating that when somebody shakes hands with Dar, they will not even feel that she is a girl.

“She aspires to come to the level of the men’s cricket team and believes that men aren’t the only one’s who can do everything, women can do these things as well. That’s why the feeling is gone. Shake her hands and you wont even feel she’s a girl,” said Razzaq.

Nida Dar offers a calm and dignified response to Abdul Razzaq

When asked to respond to the comments made by Abdul Razzaq, Dar did so with a sense of calm. She reasoned that a woman cricketer does batting, bowling, and fielding, and over the course of time, their bodies become hard. Dar also stated that if she had not chosen to play cricket she would have surely been a professional in another sport.

“Our profession is such that we have to do batting, bowling and every other thing [that the sport requires] which needs fitness, so yes your body does become hard. If I hadn’t been a cricketer, I would have definitely been a [sports] professional of some sort,” said Dar in an interview.

Pakistan cricketing legend Shahid Afridi had also mentioned in his Autobiography that for religious reasons, he does not allow his daughter to compete in sports.

“It’s for social and religious reasons that I’ve made this decision regarding my daughters not competing in public sporting activities and their mother agrees with me,” wrote Afridi in his book, Game Changer.

And, Razzaq’s comments have not gone down well with social media. One user questioned how Razzaq can make fun of a woman, while another user tweeted that Razzaq had shamed Dar based on stereotypes. Yet another user labeled Dar as one of the finest Pakistan cricketers. Another fan even stated that Pakistan does not deserve trailblazers like Dar playing for them. Another fan even tweeted that if Pakistan cannot honour women cricketers, they should be sent to India.

Here are some of the reactions regarding Abdul Razzaq’s comments on Nida Dar