Brad Hogg, a former Australian cricket player, has been in hot water after making fun of Pakistan captain Muhammad Rizwan, sparking a social media uproar. Hogg and a content developer who was posing as Rizwan ridiculed the wicketkeeper-batter’s command of English.
Many have defended Rizwan, pointing out that language should never be used to judge a player’s value. These include batsman Umar Akmal and Pakistani bowler Aamir Jamal. Akmal emphasised the value of supporting fellow cricket players and expressed gratitude for Rizwan’s assistance.
The video, which mimicked Rizwan’s distinctive speaking patterns, showed Hogg conducting a fictitious interview with a content producer. The impostor made a comparison between himself and Virat Kohli.
“What do you think about Virat Kohli?” Brad Hogg said.
“Virat and I are alike,” the imposter retorted. I drink water, and so does he. Both he and I consume food. There is no difference between us; we are both the same. ‘Ya win hai, ya fir learn’ is another of Rizwan’s most well-known quotes that he utilised.
After complimenting Rizwan on his English skills, the impersonator said, “Yes, everyone in Pakistan says my English is very good.”
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 pic.twitter.com/7d6UQJu3Or— Dr Ahmad Rehan Khan (@AhmadRehanKhan) March 18, 2025
But both cricket fans and former players swiftly criticised the video. Hogg came under fire from many for focussing on Rizwan’s cricket talents instead of critiquing his English. Jamal described the behaviour as “shameful” and said that if Hogg wants to gain more followers and attention, he might think about becoming a TikToker.
However, Akmal received praise for standing with Rizwan. But as he was thanking Jamal, he unintentionally tagged Yuvraj Singh of India. The former batter said that he wished he had gotten the same encouragement when he was playing.
It’s encouraging to see Muhammad Rizwan supported by Yuvraj Singh and Aamir Jamal. It’s encouraging to see cricket players helping one another! I wish I had gotten the same help earlier. Their support would have prevented others from criticising them instead of using memes. I appreciate you leading by example,” he remarked on X.
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…— Umar Akmal (@Umar96Akmal) March 20, 2025
Rizwan, meanwhile, will captain Pakistan in the forthcoming ODI series after being left out of the team’s T20I selection against New Zealand. Pakistan was eliminated early from the 2025 Champions Trophy under his guidance.
India
