ENGLAND CRICKETERS SLAM TASLIMA NASREEN FOR “DISGUSTING” TWEET ON MOEEN ALI

Wed 07 April 2021:

England cricketers like Jofra Archer and Sam Billings have come to Moeen Ali’s defence after he was targeted by Taslima Nasreen in a widely-condemned tweet in which she wrote: “If Moeen Ali were not stuck with cricket, he would have gone to Syria to join ISIS”. Taslima Nasreen later deleted that post and wrote in a separate tweet that she was being “sarcastic”.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer, batsman Sam Billings and Saqib Mahmood were among those who tore into the author’s offensive post.

Replying to Nasreen’s original tweet, Archer wrote, “Are you okay ? I don’t think you’re okay”.

He also blasted Nasreen’s attempt at damage control with her second tweet.

“Sarcastic? No one is laughing, not even yourself, the least you can do is delete the tweet,” Archer wrote.

Are you okay ? I don’t think you’re okay https://t.co/rmiFHhDXiO

— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) April 6, 2021

Sarcastic ? No one is laughing , not even yourself , the least you can do is delete the tweet https://t.co/Dl7lWdvSd4

— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) April 6, 2021

Sam Billings and Saqib Mahmood described Nasreen’s comments as “disgusting”.

Can’t believe this. Disgusting tweet. Disgusting individual https://t.co/g8O1MWyR81

— Saqib Mahmood (@SaqMahmood25) April 6, 2021

Moeen Ali is currently in India, preparing for IPL 2021 where he will be representing Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The all-rounder has represented his national team in all three formats. He has played 61 Tests, 109 ODIs and 34 T20Is for the England national team.

Moeen, born in Birmingham in 1987, is a practising Muslim. “I want people to know I am Muslim and British and proud of both. I want Asian kids to look at me and realise that they, too, can enjoy a career in cricket,” he was quoted as saying by Wisden two years ago.

Back in 2014, during a Test against India in Southampton, he wore wristbands carrying the slogans “Free Palestine” and “Save Gaza”, which infuriated a lot of people. According to Wisden, the cricketer received a death threat that mentioned Israel.

Is Moeen a ‘Save Gaza’ activist?

He has helped in raising funds for Gaza relief efforts in his home city, but Moeen hasn’t worked as an activist. “I was surprised. Let me just say that he did what he believed in. I don’t think he expected it to blow up big as it did,” Moeen’s brother Kadeer once told The Indian Express about the wristbands controversy. The England and Wales Cricket Board insisted that the messages were humanitarian and apolitical, but the International Cricket Council (ICC) had warned Moeen.