Ahmed did not have the brewer's logo on his shirt during his debut in last week's T20 matches against England. PHOTO: AFP
Ahmed became an Australian citizen in July after his application was fast-tracked. He did not have the brewer's logo on his shirt during his international debut in last week's T20 matches against England.
Mike McKenna, Cricket Australia's executive general manager for operations, said on Tuesday that the player first raised the issue when he was selected for the Australia A tour of Britain in June.
"Fawad expressed discomfort with the conflict this created for him, due to his religious beliefs," he said.
"Cricket Australia and Carlton United Breweries (CUB) are respectful of Fawad's personal beliefs and have agreed with his request to wear an unbranded shirt."
"CUB have been a long-standing partner of Australian cricket for more than 17 years and Fawad was thankful for their understanding of his personal situation."
South African batsman Hashim Amla, also a Muslim, is another player in a similar situation and has been permitted not to wear the logo of Cricket South Africa sponsor Castle, a beer company, on his kit.
The sensitive issue also reared up in English football with striker Papiss Cisse pulling out of Newcastle United's pre-season tour this year, saying he was not prepared to promote the club's sponsors, money-lending company Wonga.
But the Senegal international has since donned a Newcastle shirt featuring the logo after talks with the club and Islamic teachers.
Ahmed, whose rapid rise has made him a hero to some in Australia's immigrant communities, impressed in his second T20 match for Australia on Sunday, returning three English wickets for 25 runs.
His performance was timely after he took none for 43 on debut during the first T20 last week.
COMMENTS (29)
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Good for Fawad and for ACB. But, what I want to know after reading moments here is whether Pakistan has banned Liquor in Pakistan. Does LIQUOR not sell at all ? If so, I salute everybody here. If not, why the hypocrisy ? I am betting my last $ liquor is freely available in Pak. Please enlighten me with the truth.
@pak_liberal: Probably then you should do prostitution in australia too since its legal over there. I am sure you would be eating pork and drinking in countries outside Pakistan.
@Imran:
relax man. dont get your shalwar-kameez in a twist.
Why is he befriending with alcoholic non muslims ( other players)? and playing against muslims?
Majority Muslims cry hoarse against "Atrocities committed by 'Infidels' in Muslim lands" yet leave No Stone Unturned to get immigration to those very 'infidel' nations!
Majority Muslims expects Non Muslims to adhere to their way of life in their respective nations but do just the opposite in 'infidel' lands i.e. impose their beliefs and shove culture down the throat of indigenous people....
That's hypocrisy at its finest.
@pak_liberal brother what if tomorrow Michael Hussey or Michael Clarke decide to become Muslims and decide they will not promote alcohol, will that also be hypocrisy? He is doing this because of Islam, not because of being of Pakistani origin or anything. Australia being a far more tolerant society than Pakistan understands that and allows human beings to have their on beliefs and opinions on various things, that's probably one of the reasons Fawad wanted to move there.
@Anwer Chughtai: It would have been better that you studied the Blasphemy Law before calling it non-sense
It would have been better that you studied the Blasphemy law first before calling it non-sense.
@pak_liberal:
Respectfully I disagree with your views. I live in USA and many Muslim players in US specially one Hakim Alaijuan, the famous basketball player of Houston Rockets never celebrated the victory with his teammates with Champagne. So much so that he even played while fasting during Ramadan and was allowed to leave the court for prayers.
Today he is running a very fine Islamic school in Houston and doing a lot of charity work in the name of Islam. Liberalism is not defined as disobeying the rules of God that you believe in because you have moved to a country where most of the population is non-muslim.
Liberalism for a Muslim is that while living in a Muslim country you give space your fellow citizens who are not Muslims by allowing them freedom to practice their faith. You do not make their life miserable like they have in Pakistan under so called non-sense of Blasphemy Law.
JazakAllah Khair
Actually muslim players should not participate in tournaments or events or teams sponsored by non-Islamic banking and financial firms, non-halal consumer product companies like P&G, Levers, Coca Cola, Pepsi etc., non-halal apparel firms like Nike, Reebok etc and media and communication firms like Star, Zee, Vodafone etc. that spread non-Islamic internet and TV content.
Excellent gesture.
@Fudge:
Living in the US and always critising something or the other about Pakistan will not make you more sensible and enlightened than rest of us here....plz be rational sometimes!
How about this. Why do VB sponsor the Australian Cricket Team? For publicity. They have gotten way more publicity out of Fawad not wearing the logo than they ever would have if he had worn it. VB should be giving him a bonus.
@Awais: Did I say anything against Islam? Did I even comment on Islam at all? No. I mentioned Pakistan. Please don't confuse the two. Now, if you agree that this free practising of religion cannot happen in Pakistan (which you do) then in principle you do agree with what I said.
I agree with what you say. Some food for thought to follow. this guy can practice true Islam in the West, does that not mean the Western society is more tolerant towards their minorities (and more "Islamic" in the true sense) than the prevailing Muslim societies in Muslim countries? Forget minorities from other religion, we can't even tolerate other sects of our very own religion.
@Fudge: Well forget Pakistan. Talk about Islam. Yes for any religious minority living under an Islamic system (not Pakistan or Saudi Arabia), they would be free to practice their religion.
The irony is, none of us bother to study Islam's perspective before commenting on it.
@Imran, @Ariba, and all other extremist
Do you mind research why did he left Islamic Republic of Pakistan...Let me tell you
Because he wanted to live in a tolerated and civilized society and this itself is an example of the Western society being far better then the so called Islamic Republic.
@pak_liberal: by far the most ignorant comment. How is he disrespecting others by respecting his belief? Your not a liberal if your having issues with the person in doing what he wants to do. In the mean time you can go & grab some for yourself.
I dont understand what is hyprocrisy in this issue, infact by his action the west will think that in Islam even logo of the company which sells alcohol is not allowed let alone drinking of alcohol. this shows that a true muslim can work in all of field of life keeping the values/laws of islam intact
@Imran: Yes there are no liberals here, because most sensible people won't comment unnecessarily. But you are the one asking here in a rather threatening tone (capital letters). Does that explain a few things? Anything about Islam and West and we get to hear "where are the liberals"-rant without any thought put into it. What is the link here even?
What you fail to understand is that, this, is in fact, a great example of Western liberalism. Imagine this happening in Pakistan for a religious minority?!
@pak_liberal: An other way of looking at it is called tolerance which in this case comes under "religious tolerance" that foreign countries offer. Its part of their constitution that one citizen should respect other person's feelings and views.
@Imran:
What do you mean? This is Australian liberalism at its best. Liberals triumphed over religious fascists once again. It just proves religious people like liberalism for themselves too they just don’t want to give it to other.
No liberal trolls here yet to enforce their views upon others?
That's sheer hypocrisy. When you settle in a foreign country, please keep your culture, values and beliefs back home. And accept the rules and regulations of that country. He chose to settle there due to lack of freedoms back here. Now there is no need to show disrespect to those who accepted you.
Proud of Fawad ahmed,,, lots of respect...
God Bless You Fawad Ahmed
"Islam’s ban on alcohol" "Prohibition" and "Ban" are two altogether different things ET
Where are the liberals? for them this guy should be doomed for eternity
WHERE ARE THE LIBERALS?
Respect !!!