KARACHI: Pakistan cricket chief Najam Sethi Thursday played down allegations that the national team’s star pacer Hasan Ali overstepped the mark during an appearance at the border where he squared off with Indian soldiers.
The viral video of the 24-year-old pacer at the main border crossing at Wagah in Pakistan’s Punjab province over the weekend sent shockwaves through social media in the subcontinent.
During the incident Ali puffed out his chest mimicking gestures made by Pakistani border guards and also slapped his thigh while staring down Indian security forces, a gesture he often does on the pitch after taking a wicket.
The performance was largely cheered by Pakistani cricket fans but drew protests from Indian users who slammed the display as jingoistic.
“No bro, just no. Use your platform to do something constructive, not spread hate!” one Indian fan tweeted.
However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Sethi played down Hasan’s antics, dismissing attempts to politicize the incident.
“Our national cricket teams always go to the Wagah Border for the flag lowering ceremony,” Sethi told Pakistan media.
“It’s unfortunate that social media has given it a political color, what he did he usually does after taking a wicket.”
Hasan became the top-ranked one-day international bowler in global rankings last year following his 13 wickets in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy triumph in England.
He has so far played two Tests, 20 one-day international and 16 Twenty20s.
During the same ceremony at the border, senior batsman Azhar Ali offered more conciliatory gestures, saying he hoped for eventual peace between the arch-rivals — who have not played a bilateral series since January 2013.
“Peace is the way forward,” tweeted the batsman along with a picture, where he posed with Indian and Pakistan forces at Wagah.
India-Pakistan ties, including sports and cultural contacts, plummeted after the 2008 militant attacks in Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistani militant groups.
Delhi has suspended most bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan since 2008, with high-profile cricket tours bearing the brunt of the moratorium.
They have, however, continued to play each other in multinational events like the World Cup.
Pakistan cricket chief plays down star’s antics at India border
Pakistan cricket chief plays down star’s antics at India border
DeChambeau, Crushers GC lead LIV Singapore at halfway mark
- A second-round 6-under 65 has DeChambeau at 10-under through 36 holes
SINGAPORE: Entering Friday, Bryson DeChambeau is tied atop a bunched leaderboard at Aramco LIV Golf Singapore.
After shooting the round of the week, a second-round six-under 65, he sits at 10-under through 36 holes. The Crushers GC captain enters the weekend with a three-shot lead.
After beginning his second round with back-to-back pars, he birdied the third, fourth and eighth holes, making the turn in 32 strokes. His back nine was smooth-sailing until the par-four 15th, when he overdrew an iron off the tee into the harbor.
After taking a drop, he scrambled for a hard-earned bogey, protecting his lead in the process. And bounced back immediately, making a birdie on the 16th. For the round, he finished with a total of six birdies, an eagle and the lone bogey on 15.
“Focus on my golf, what I can control,” said DeChambeau of his mindset.
“I know it’s cliche, but you can’t get too wrapped up with what everybody else is doing and making sure I’m starting it on my lines the way I need to and rolling the putts on my lines like I need to. Barring that, I think I can give myself a good chance.”
DeChambeau’s closest competitors are three shots back at seven-under and include Thomas Detry, Jon Rahm, Louis Oosthuizen, Lee Westwood and Richard T. Lee.
Detry of 4Aces GC is fresh off a runner-up finish at HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong and has carried that momentum into Singapore. His round included a chip-in eagle on the 18th hole (his 16th of the day) off the back of the green from 37 meters away.
The Belgian remains confident heading into the final two rounds. “I’m up for the challenge,” he said. “It’s definitely a challenge out there, so anything under par is pretty good, and I managed to do that pretty well.”
Hong Kong winner Rahm continues to lurk dangerously on the leaderboard. The Legion XIII captain made 11 consecutive pars from holes five to 17 before finishing his round with a birdie on the par-five 18th to finish at seven-under.
“I played really good today. Felt like I played actually significantly better than yesterday, just little margins,” Rahm said. “Couldn’t really make many putts out there today. Made that one on six and from then on missed a lot of birdie chances.”
Oosthuizen shot a four-under 67 that included six birdies and two bogeys. The Southern Guards GC captain has been fueled by a hot putter and ranks fifth in the field in Strokes Gained Putting at the halfway stage.
“I tried to give myself as many birdie putts as possible,” said Oosthuizen. “I felt I saw the greens really good today, the lines, and rolled the putter really good.”
Westwood, in just his second start after returning from a wrist injury, continues to play steady golf. The Majesticks Golf Club co-captain shot a three-under 68 that included five birdies and two bogeys.
Lee, who is looking to become the first LIV Golf Wild Card to finish better than 12th in a tournament, shot a three-under 68.
Matthew Wolff, Marc Leishman and Charles Howell III all shot three-under 68s as well and are four shots back of DeChambeau at six-under.
On the team leaderboard, the Crushers GC surged to the top after carding a cumulative 10-under for the day. They hold a three-shot lead over the first-round leaders, Legion XIII.
The champions from Hong Kong, 4Aces GC, are just one shot back of Legion XIII and four shots behind the Crushers.
