Harare Metropolitan Cricket Association (HMCA) ke Vigne Cup match ke dauraan, Rainbow Cricket Club ke head coach Blessing Mafuva par Raza ne racial remarks ka aarop lagaya hai. Yeh ghatna 1 June 2025 ko Old Hararians Sports Club mein hui, jab Raza muscle tightness ke wajah se field se baahar ja rahe the. Raza ke mutabiq, Mafuva ne unhe chilla kar kaha, “Main jo chahe bol sakta hoon, mera paas Zimbabwe ka passport hai, tumhara jaise Pakistani passport nahi. Yeh mera desh hai, Pakistan nahi.” Yeh shabd na keval Raza ke liye apmaanjanak the, balki cricket ke mulyon ke khilaaf bhi hain. Raza ne iske khilaaf HMCA mein ek formal complaint darj ki hai, aur unhone kaha hai, “Agar woh guilty paya gaya, to uska ek udaaharan banna chahiye taaki aisi cheezein kabhi dobara na ho.”
Yeh ghatna cricket ke itihas mein pehli baar nahi hui hai. 2021 mein, Yorkshire County Cricket Club mein Azeem Rafiq ne bhi racial abuse ka mudda uthaya tha, jisme unhone club ke andar institutional racism ka aarop lagaya. Rafiq ke mutabiq, unhe aur doosre Asian players ko “Paki” jaise shabdon se apmaanit kiya gaya, aur ek baar to former England captain Michael Vaughan par bhi aarop laga tha ki unhone kaha, “Tum logon mein se bahut zyada hain, iske baare mein kuch karna hoga.” Yeh scandal itna bada tha ki Yorkshire ke chairman aur chief executive ko resign karna pada, aur club ko international matches host karne ka haq bhi temporarily khoona pada. Is tarah ke maamle cricket ke liye ek kalank hain, jo ek aisa khel hai jisme diversity aur inclusion ko badhawa dena chahiye.
Lekin iske bawajood, cricket mein kai aise pal bhi hain jo is khel ki sundarta ko dikhate hain. Sikandar Raza khud iska ek zinda saboot hain. Pakistan mein janme aur Zimbabwe ke liye khelne wale Raza ne apne career mein 19 Tests, 151 ODIs, aur 105 T20Is khele hain, jisme unhone 7800 se zyada runs banaye aur 200 wickets liye hain. Unki ek yaadgaar performance PSL 2025 final mein dekhi gayi, jab woh England se Test match khel kar sidha Lahore pahuche, aur sirf 7 balls mein 22 runs maar kar Lahore Qalandars ko jeet dilayi. Yeh innings unki dedication aur talent ka prateek thi, aur isne dikhaya ki kaise ek player apne desh aur franchise dono ke liye dil se khel sakta hai. Iske alaawa, cricket mein aise kai aur players hain jaise Virat Kohli, jinhone apne passion aur consistency se duniya bhar ke fans ka dil jeeta hai, ya phir South Africa ke Heinrich Klaasen, jinhone T20 leagues mein apni explosive batting se dhoom machayi hai. Yeh log dikhate hain ki cricket ek aisa platform hai jo talent aur mehnat ko celebrate karta hai, chahe koi bhi background se ho.
Cricket authorities bhi is mudde ko seriously le rahe hain. International Cricket Council (ICC) ka Anti-Racism Code aur Cricket Australia ka Multicultural Action Plan jaise initiatives is baat ka saboot hain ki khel ko saaf aur inclusive banane ki koshish ho rahi hai. HMCA ne bhi turant action liya hai, aur Mafuva ko suspend kar diya gaya hai jab tak hearing nahi ho jati. Yeh kadam dikhata hai ki cricket mein ab aise behaviour ko bardasht nahi kiya jayega, aur players ke samoohik efforts se is khel ka mahaul behtar ho sakta hai.
Lekin phir bhi, yeh maamla ek kadwa sach saamne laata hai. Cricket, jo ek global sport hai aur jisme har culture ke log shamil hain, ab bhi racism jaise muddon se joojh raha hai. Raza jaise ek player, jo apne desh ke liye itna kuch kar chuka hai, ko aise apmaan ka saamna karna padta hai, yeh dikhata hai ki abhi bhi bahut kaam baaki hai. Jab tak har player aur fan ko bina kisi bhedbhaav ke respect nahi milta, tab tak cricket apne asli uddeshya mein poori tarah se safal nahi ho sakta. Yeh ghatna ek reminder hai ki humein apne mulyon ko aur mazboot karna hoga, taaki khel ka yeh sundar maidan sirf talent aur teamwork ke liye jaana jaye, na ki galat wajahon se.
