'Good to see support for him' - Umar Akmal appreciates support for Mohmmad Rizwan after Brad Hogg's mocking post

Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg has landed in trouble after mocking Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan, triggering controversy across social media platforms. Hogg, along with a content creator impersonating Rizwan, made fun of the wicketkeeper-batter’s English proficiency.

Many, including Pakistan pacer Aamir Jamal and cricketer Umar Akmal, have come forward to defend Rizwan, mentioning that language should never be an evaluation of a player's worth. Akmal appreciated the support Rizwan has received, stressing upon the importance of backing fellow cricketers.

The video surfaced and showed Hogg conducting a mock interview with a content creator mimicking Rizwan’s unique speech patterns. The impersonator compared himself to Virat Kohli.

"What do you think about Virat Kohli?" said Hogg. The impersonator replied "I and Virat are alike. He drinks water, I drink water. He eats food, I eat food. We are both the same; there is no difference." He also used one of Rizwan's most popular lines, 'Ya win hai, ya fir learn'.

The former then praised Rizwan's English abilities to which the impersonator replied, "Yes, everyone in Pakistan says my English is very good."

Dr Ahmad Rehan Khan@AhmadRehanKhan

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁: It's absurd for an ex-Australian cricketer to participate in a video mocking the Pakistani captain's English, considering his native language is Pashto. @Brad_Hogg #MohammadRizwan #PakistanCricket

05:56 AM · Mar 18, 2025

39754

However, the video quickly received backlash from fans and former cricketers alike. Many slammed Hogg for criticizing Rizwan’s English skills rather than focusing on his cricketing abilities. Jamal called the act 'shameful and believes that Hogg should consider becoming a TikToker if he wishes to have more attention and followers.

On the other hand, Akmal applauded for supporting Rizwan. However, he mistakenly tagged India’s Yuvraj Singh, while expressing his appreciation for Jamal. The former batter also mentioned that he wished he received the same support during his playing days. 

"Good to see Yuvraj Singh & Aamir jamal 'S support for Muhammad Rizwan. Heartening to see cricketers supporting each other! Wish I had received the same support in the past. Instead of memes, their backing would've shut down critics from others. Thanks for setting a positive example," he wrote on X.

Umar Akmal@Umar96Akmal

Good to see Yuvraj Singh & Aamir jamal 'S support for Muhammad Rizwan. Heartening to see cricketers supporting each other! Wish I had received the same support in the past. Instead of memes, their backing would've shut down critics from others. Thanks for setting a positive

11:17 PM · Mar 20, 2025

2.2K114

Also Read: IPL Teams vs International Teams: Which international team resembles your favorite IPL team?

Meanwhile, Rizwan, who was recently omitted from Pakistan’s T20I squad against New Zealand, is set to lead the team in the upcoming ODI series. Under his leadership, Pakistan suffered an early exit from the Champions Trophy 2025.