With 2023 beginning, people around the world are gradually becoming less tolerant of fat-shaming and embracing body positivity more. Most recently, Pakistani cricketers Naseem Shah and Azam Khan’s banter turned into a debate on the internet where social media users are making sure nobody gets away with bullying.
Taking a stand for anyone and everyone, netizens are bringing a much-needed change.
This rather unusual incident came into the limelight after a video of the young players surfaced on the internet where the Pakistani fast pacer – Naseem Shah – presumably ‘teased’ Khan by mock-imitating his body shape during a match.
Both the cricket stars are currently participating in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) where Shah and Khan are representing Comilla Victorians and Khulna Tigers, respectively. Pakistan’s leading right-arm pacer initiated the banter, and although he tried to embrace Khan, that didn’t go well with the latter. The batsman pushed the 19-year-old player away after an exchange of words.
Following this, Shah imitated Khan, holding his arms up, and walking behind the 24-year-old. The Karachi-born player, who is the son of former wicketkeeper-batter Moin Khan, was unaware of Shah’s gesture.
In a recent interview with ESPN Cric Info, the 24-year-old batsman revealed that he was criticized because of his weight right after he got his big break in the PSL. He was told that his body is “not suited for the elite game [level] of cricket”.
“It’s not about being overweight. It’s about performance. If a guy is scoring 400 runs and he is super-fit and another guy is scoring 800 runs and he is not super-fit, I will keep the guy who scored 800 runs in my team. That’s my point of view,” Khan suggested.
Clearly, Shah’s sense of humor wasn’t shared by everyone. Social media platforms are flooded with posts regarding the issue with millions of people urging everyone to put a stop to the toxic behaviors.
