After a disappointing performance against India on Sunday, 16 June, in Manchester, Pakistani players have come under scrutiny of the internet and experts alike. While Pakistan lost to India by 89 runs, Shoaib Malik, a senior player in team was being criticised by fans for his poor performance.
But things got out of hands when a video of him and wife, Indian tennis player, Sania Mirza at a restaurant with some friends surfaced online.
The video in which Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza are seen with Wahab Riaz and Imam-ul-Haq has led to different theories and stories on social and mainstream media.
When Sania noticed the video, she pointed out on Twitter on 15 June that the person who made the video has disrespected their privacy. She went on to say that "people are allowed to eat if they lose a match".
The account of the person who posted the video has been deactivated.
But this wasn't the end of it. Pakistani actress Veena Malik engaged in a banter with the tennis star over parenting on Twitter.
Malik said, "Sania, I am actually so worried for the kid. You guys took him to a sheesha place isn't it Hazardious? Also as far as I know Archie's is all about junk food which isn't good for athletes/Boys. You must know well as you are mother and athlete yourself? (sic)"
Sania, in her reply to the actress, tweeted, "Veena, I have not taken my kid to a sheesha place," adding that it is neither her concern nor the rest of the world's.
Sania also took down her ‘junk food for athlete’ comment by saying that she is "not Pakistan cricket team's dietician nor am I their mother to know when they sleep, wake up and eat".
PCB Denies Outing Before Match
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has insisted that its players did not stay out of the team hotel beyond the curfew time the night before the World Cup game against India after videos circulated on the social media claimed otherwise.
A spokesperson for the PCB made it clear that no player had violated the curfew timings set by the team management.
"The video under discussion was of two days back. On the night before the match, all the players were in their rooms before curfew time," he clarified.
(With inputs from PTI)
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