Former colleagues and veterans speak up for Mohammad Shami amidst online abuse after India-Pak T20 WC match

On Sunday, the Indian cricket team had an unwanted first when it lost to arch-rivals Pakistan for the first time ever in a World Cup. The Men in Blue lost their opening encounter of the ongoing T20 World Cup by 10 wickets. In the aftermath of the crushing defeat, disappointed fans vented their frustration on social media. But pretty soon, that venting turned into downright abuse with several trolls targeting fast bowler Mohammad Shami.The 31-year-old, who has represented India in over 150 international games over the last eight years, had a disappointing game, conceding 43 runs in 3.5 overs. Many social media users posted cuss words in the comments sections of some of Shami's recent Instagram posts, blaming him for the loss. Others even called him a 'traitor' and alleged he threw away the game deliberately.
While Shami himself did not respond to the trolls, several of his seniors from the Indian team and legends of the game came to his defence on social media. While Sachin Tendulkar called him a "committed, world class bowler" who had an "off day just like any other sportsperson can have", VVS Laxman argued that Shami "can't be defined by one performance". Shami's former teammate Virender Sehwag called the pacer a champion and wrote "Anyone who wears the India cap has India in their hearts far more than any online mob". Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle went one step ahead and urged those trolling Shami to not watch cricket. "Aapki kami mehsoos bhi nahi hogi (You won't be missed)," he wrote, addressing the trolls. Other former Indian cricketers like Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammed Azharuddin, Venkatesh Prasad, and Dodda Ganesh also tweeted in support of Shami.



Even fans and foreign cricket writers and commentators joined in, highlighting the various instances where Shami helped Team India win in World Cups earlier. #IStandWithShami was trending on Twitter for the better part of Monday. Many urged the Indian skipper Virat Kohli to also release some statement in support of the player. However, till the time of going to press, the team management or skipper Virat Kohli hadn’t said anything on the issue. India will face New Zealand in their next encounter in the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
'Let's end this toxicity': Cricketing veterans lend their support to Shami