PAKISTAN wicket-keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan on Tuesday (10) left the social media divided by dedicating his country's record-breaking victory over Sri Lanka in the ongoing 50-over World Cup in Hyderabad to the "brothers and sisters in Gaza" amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant outfit Hamas that has killed several thousands and left trails of wanton destruction.
"This was for our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Happy to contribute in the win. Credits to the whole team and especially Abdullah Shafique and Hassan Ali for making it easier. Extremely grateful to the people of Hyderabad for the amazing hospitality and support throughout," Rizwan, who scored a match-winning 131 not out as Pakistan successfully chased down a mammoth target of 345, something that has not happened ever in the 48-year-old history of the quadrennial tournament.
Rizwan, who added 176 runs for the third wicket with Abdullah Shafique, the other Pakistan centurion (108), to make it easier for the Men in Green to win their second consecutive match in the tournament, was adjudged the player of the match.
However, while his effort with the bat despite facing cramps earned him applause, many social media users advised Rizwan to concentrate on cricket and not on world politics. Some said India cricketers would never make such remarks.
It may be mentioned here that while Pakistan has expressed support for the Palestinians in their clash with Israel, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi openly extended his solidarity with the latter and told his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu during a telephonic call on Tuesday that the people of India stood firmly with Israel.
Devastating fighting broke out between the two sides after Hamas carried out coordinated rocket attacks on Israel on Saturday (7).
Hamas has also taken several Israeli citizens as hostages and threatened to kill them in the wake of Israel imposing a total seize on the Gaza Strip which is controlled by the Palestinian outfit.
One user reacted to Rizwan saying, "Rizwan try to focus on cricket."
"How will a century or a win help them in Gaza? Instead, you and entire Pak team should donate all kinds of earnings, whether it's match fees, awards, endorsements, etc., from the World Cup to Palestinians. That would be genuine assistance. Otherwise this tweet is just hogwash," another user said.
Army personnel stand amid the rubble following an explosion inside the police headquarters at Kohat in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on September 18, 2026. An explosion at a historic police headquarters in northern Pakistan on September 18 killed at least eight people and wounded 35 more, officials said, with the country's president swiftly blaming a militant group. Getty Images
Mourners read the holy Quran while sitting around the grave of a paramilitary personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) who was killed during the Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes, in Kohat on October 17, 2025. A ceasefire along the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan was holding on October 16, officials on both sides said, after dozens of troops and civilians were killed in cross-border clashes.Getty Images
