Former Pakistan cricketer Abdul Razzaq recently became a part of a talk show in which he left no stones unturned to depict his hate and problems with female cricketers for… being themselves.

In an Pakistani TV show hosted by presenter Nouman Ijaz, Razzaq shared a couch with all-rounder Nida Dar and made some nasty, sexist comments about every aspect of her being an athlete. From the way she looks, to the way she shakes hands with people, while also conjecturing that women cricketers want to show themselves “as superiors” to their male counterparts.

Shameful ridicule of a young cricket player by Abdul Razzaq. When you have played for the national team & have some level of respect, you should use that to encourage young cricketers, especially women, instead of shaming them based on gender stereotypes.pic.twitter.com/CtemldIcNb

— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) July 14, 2021

While talking about women choosing between sports and marriage, Dar was trying to explain how cricket has helped a lot of women from villages to have a career. 

"If some colleges and schools have space, then they do try and incorporate cricket in their extra curriculum activities. Girls from rural areas and villages move to the city to play cricket, in hopes to pursue this as a profession."

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This is when Razzaq starts the slander by saying: "Oh, they don't get married. Their field is as such. When they become cricketers, they strive to be as equal as their male counterparts, if not better than them. They want to prove that not only men, but they can also do it as well. The feeling [to get married] is gone [by the time they excel]." He further added by saying, "If you shake her [Dar] hand, she is anything but feminine."

The all-rounder then decides to respond to Razzaq by suggesting the need for them to have muscular bodies but he simply cuts her off with another sexist remark: "You can tell by the haircut she has." 

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"I had this query for a while. Can you not play cricket with longer hair?" asks Wafa Butt, another host of the show, to which Dar responds: "You absolutely can play with long hair, but for someone who has kept her hair long, it would affect her game."

It is rather commendable to see how Dar continues to keep her calm despite being cornered by everyone present on the show and being exposed to such level of misogyny on live television. The video of this incident has since gone viral on social media with fans completely by the women cricketer’s side in bashing Razzaq for what he said:

So disgusting all these people literally jumped on her. Can't even imagine how much sexism our women cricketers go through @CoolNidadar is a star!! https://t.co/iraupnQCsn

— a (@rays_alpha) July 14, 2021

It's a shame that Abdul Razzak himself a former cricketer is trying to embarrass a member of Pakistan women's cricket team publicly. The show host are doing the same. Lost even a tiny bit of respect I had for him.

— Dipu Shaw (@DipuShaw) July 15, 2021

Such a shame that we made people like A.Razzaq heroes of this country but never gave them any training, education on ethics and moral. This is a mindset which we have breed for years.

— نوید (@Zindadil0) July 15, 2021

This was so painful to watch. Is he so threatened by women who play cricket?

— madeeha ansari (@madeeha_ansari) July 15, 2021

First Afridi and now Abdul Razzak. This is exactly the mentality Pakistani women have to face every single day and then we ask why are we so left behind. Disgusting!

— Ed sane (@sane_ed) July 15, 2021

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