WATCH: Abdul Razzaq Publicly Apologises For His Remarks On Bollywood Star Aishwarya Rai

The apology came after several of Abdul Razzaq’s teammates including Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi condemned the remarks by the former cricketer.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq. (Source: X)

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq came out with a public apology after massive uproar over his comments on Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai on a Pakistan news channel on Tuesday. Razzaq posted a video of the apology on Samaa TV, claiming that he didn’t want to ‘hurt anyone’s sentiment’.

Razzaq appeared on Samaa TV to address the situation. He stated, “Yesterday, we were talking about cricket coaching and intentions. I had a slip of tongue and mistakenly took Aishwarya Rai’s name. I apologise to her personally. I did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiment.”

WATCH Abdul Razzaq’s public apology HERE…

Software Updated Successfully :) #AbdulRazzaq #AishwaryaRai pic.twitter.com/t8znVjuYm9 — Ahtisham _ (@Mr_Ahtisham7) November 14, 2023

The apology came after several of Razzaq’s teammates including Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi condemned the remarks by the former cricketer. “I would never have good and pious kids if I marry Aishwarya Rai,” Razzaq had said in a press conference also attended by Shahid Afridi.

The remark, widely considered inappropriate, has garnered criticism from fans and fellow cricketers alike. Shahid Afridi, who faced backlash for seemingly endorsing Razzaq’s comments by laughing and clapping, clarified his stance. Afridi stated that he was unaware of Razzaq’s statement during the press conference and only learned about it after watching the clip at home. Despite not knowing the content of the remark, Afridi acknowledged the mistake, expressing, “I saw the clip when I went home and realized that Abdul Razzaq made a wrong statement. I knew he had a mike in his hand and will say something. He has a habit of getting beaten by shoes. I will just text him to apologize for what he said as it was wrong.”

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar also blasted Razzaq form his comments on Aishwarya Rai. “"I highly condemn the inappropriate joke/comparison made by Razzaq. No woman should be disrespected like this. People seated beside him should have raised their voice right away rather than laughing & clapping,” he posted on the social media platform X (formerly called Twitter).

I highly condemn the inappropriate joke/comparison made by Razzaq.
No woman should be disrespected like this.
People seated beside him should have raised their voice right away rather than laughing & clapping. — Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 14, 2023

The controversial comments have sparked a social media storm, with users condemning Razzaq, Afridi, and Gul for their reactions. Some users expressed shock at Afridi’s response, considering his stature and the potential impact on Aishwarya Rai and her family. The incident has also fueled discussions about the responsibility of public figures in endorsing inappropriate statements.