News Brief
'Proud Indian, Proud Sikh': Harbhajan Singh Counters Ex-Pakistani Cricketer Inzamam's Conversion Claim, Denounces Controversial Interview
Nayan Dwivedi
Nov 15, 2023, 12:19 PM | Updated 12:19 PM IST
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In a recent turn of events, former Indian cricket team spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed his displeasure on social media regarding a story circulating online.
The narrative, presented by former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq in a viral interview, claimed that Singh was impressed by Maulana Tariq Jameel and even considered converting to Islam.
As reported by NDTV, during the interview, Inzamam shared, "We had a room where prayers were conducted. Maulana Tariq Jameel used to visit us in the evening and lead us into a namaz. After a few days, Irfan Pathan, Mohammad Kaif, and Zaheer Khan also started coming. Four other Indian cricketers sat and watched us. Harbhajan, who was unaware that Tariq Jameel was a maulana, said 'I am impressed with this man and want to follow his words.'"
Harbhajan Singh, in response, took to social media to completely deny the story, asserting his pride as a Sikh.
This development follows the escalating rift between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, culminating in the acceptance of Inzamam's resignation amid allegations of a conflict of interest.
The PCB released a statement confirming the acceptance of Inzamam-ul-Haq's resignation from the position of chairman of the national men's selection committee and junior selection committee.
The board expressed its commitment to conducting a transparent inquiry into the conflict of interest allegations raised against the legendary player, who voluntarily stepped down on 30 October to facilitate the inquiry process.
The statement also mentioned that the PCB would announce Inzamam's replacement in due course.
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Nayan Dwivedi is Staff Writer at Swarajya.
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