Pakistan

The Rawalpindi Express goes off the track

Shoaib Akhtar incites criticism for jesting at former teammates on ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’.

Our Correspondent March 04, 2015

Akhtar took aim at the Akmal brothers’ below-par wicket-keeping skills and how some senior Pakistani players are not well-versed in English. PHOTO: GETMOVIEINFO.COM

KARACHI: Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has found new ways of staying in the news, despite retiring from cricket four years ago. Akhtar, who recently appeared on the popular Indian show Comedy Nights with Kapil, took subtle jabs at former teammates Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi, inciting criticism for ‘insulting’ the Pakistani cricket team.

Not only did Akhtar, fondly remembered as the Rawalpindi Express, take aim at the Akmal brothers and their below-par wicket-keeping skills, but also made fun of how some senior Pakistani players are not well-versed in English. Akhtar made fun of former teammate Shabbir Ahmed’s English, narrating an incident where Ahmed, upon receiving the ‘man of the match’ award, credited his win to the moisture on the wicket for his bowling, saying, “There was a lot of moisturiser on the wicket.”

When Akhtar was questioned about which Pakistani player he expected to drop the most catches, he answered, “Umer Akmal.” He compared Akmal’s keeping to that of a goalkeeper, saying he is never able to catch the ball. The sportsman also made fun of Afridi and Misbahul Haq’s age, saying that, while the former’s age doesn’t seem to increase despite having been around for years, Haq has become captain at an age when people tend to retire. “If you combine Misbah, Younis (Khan) and Afridi’s age, then you already have a combined age of 150 years,” quipped Akhtar.

Akhtar’s remarks didn’t go well with many noted Pakistanis, particularly king of comedy Umer Sharif, who said he was deeply hurt that he insulted the cricket team on an Indian show. He spoke about Akhtar’s comments on his show Har Lamha Purjosh. Sharif addressed Shoaib Akhtar as ‘marhoom’, saying the former cricketer was dead to the nation after his harsh comments.

Fakhre Alam, former musician and current chairman of Sindh Board of Film Censorship, took to Twitter to express his dismay at the cricketer’s jests. “I have known Akhtar for a long time and I am absolutely disappointed by what he did on a cheap comedy show in India. Shameful...” he tweeted.

I have known Shoaib Akhtar for a long time, I am absolutely disappointed by what he did on a cheap comedy show in India. Shameful...
— Fakhr-e-Alam S.I & S.E (@falamb3) March 3, 2015

Shoaib Akhtar say his phupi more fit than me. She probably more fit than him too cos he have fitness of donner kebab himself.
— Big Nas (@NasirJamshed_) March 2, 2015

Found Shoaib Akhtar where he truly belongs: Comedy Nights With Kapil. Stay there, punter.
— Nadeem Farooq Paracha (@NadeemfParacha) March 2, 2015

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2015.

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COMMENTS (17)

Chachoo ka chacha | 9 years ago | Reply @Chachoo: If Pakistanis had some sense of humour, as you obviously do, they would be loved by the world. You are an exception and your thoughts are much appreciated. On the other hand, India has a variety of channels that are dedicated exclusively to comedy. Indians mock and lampoon their politicians, actors, public figures, socialites and almost every one. Why don't Pakistanis also do that for a change and make fun of your leaders, military and mullahs (unless this is a taboo and you are constricted by repressive laws and threat of violent reaction, in which case that would be understandable though it would by no means allow Pakistanis to criticize Indians whose favourite past time is lampooning their public figures as part of the democratic characteristics of the country.

Anand Ravindran | 9 years ago | Reply If a celebrity appear in Comedy nights with Kapil then he or she should get ready for second round of business. I love this show "Comedy Nights with Kapil" with Kapi's comical play and Sidhu Paaji's comments. The punjabi dialogues and the village backdrop gives more attraction to the show. Be ir Shoaib Akthar or other cricketers and punjabi musicians they did very well

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Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply Shoaib is dim witted enough not to realize that his hosts were also having a subtle laugh at him.....crass humor apparently has an audience. Making much of this is pointless.

Rao | 9 years ago | Reply If I play Cricket then why people expect linguistic skill from me? To speak is a gift by nature but to speak any language is choice. On the lighter side who says laughters have dried up in pakistan. Vist Lahore, Faisalabad where every second person will crack a great jugat and make you show your teeths.

Fawad | 9 years ago | Reply Omar in his own show made so much fun of Pakistani team and now he is worried if Sohaib does the same. Kapil comedy is sometimes or mostly average, but Omar is once in a while average.

Mohammad | 9 years ago | Reply A Pakistani making fun of Pakistanis in highlighting himself and proving himself generating million of laughs - where it went wrong? @Fakhr-e-Alam being the chairman of censor board has set criteria of not liking content created in India. I have thoroughly enjoyed the show. We need to accept criticism in a funny way unless it is effecting our national prestige or someone's personal life.

Ravian | 9 years ago | Reply Well, people might have been offended because whatever he said is not joke, it is hard reality. Truth is harder to digest.

mohammad | 9 years ago | Reply it is just FUN!

Sucha bacha | 9 years ago | Reply C'mon guys what happened to your sense of humor. He was in a "Comedy" show, not some serious discussion talk show!! I think people are angry because he did this in India, not pakistan. I found his comments very funny and enjoyed every bit. To be honest, his JOKES were actually based on truth: Pakistani players always struggle to speak in English. We have made tons of jokes on them. Forgot those izi jokes when he was captain???! We do tend to choose captain based on age, instead of captaincy skills.Look at previous few captains. Afridi/Misbah/Younis are old horses, i don't know why some one would find this joke as offensive. Akmal Brothers are notorious for BAD BAD BAD wicket keeping. We have seen 1000s of trolls on this and always enjoyed. Our people still don't get it. This is shoaib Akhtar, he was always like this! He is not doing this to get popularity in India. If this was that important to him then he never would've insulted Tendulkar in India!! He is the type of person who would say the same thing in pakistan, india or anywhere else. (Unlike our wasim akram). He is Eminem of Pakistan Cricket :D As for "alleged" King of Comedy, he made it VERY clear in the clip that he is furious ONLY because Shoaib cracked those jokes on "Comedy nights at KAPIL" and not his miserable show. Honestly, his show is just too painful to watch. He has lost his touch and no longer funny. If you don't believe me, watch his show for half and hour.

wb | 9 years ago | Reply To be fair, if an Indian had ridiculed Indian cricket (or anything) outside of India, he would have come under equal criticism. Indians are more sensitive than Pakistanis.

Gp65 | 9 years ago | Reply Surprised at NFP's tweet. So he can make fun of everyone but no one else can?

Chachoo | 9 years ago | Reply @Faheem: Your comment is pretty racist to say the least. For a country like Pakistan where almost every race exist we should avoid making such statements.

Mehreen | 9 years ago | Reply Kindly give every Pakistani a small personal space and some freedom of expression. In Europe and America this issue will not make it to the news at all but here it is making waves. Also who is Umer Sharif who is suggesting that no one have the right to criticize Pakistan when someone is abroad. What type of thinking it is?.

String | 9 years ago | Reply Shoaib is Fastest bowler and it shows he is most hard working guy of PAk. Nation should proud on hard working people but not lazy cricketers

Chachoo | 9 years ago | Reply I am from Pakistan and to be honest i am not offended by it. It is just a comedy. This show is not political in nature. Just take it on a lighter note. Sometimes we act in very chauvinistic manner. We should not become over-sensitive on such issues. We should have some sense of humor. We love our country but kindly do not make everything blasphemous here. A society where the humor is dead and fear is instilled on every step is a dead society in my view. In Indian and Pakistani Punjab there is one thing known as Juggatain. These Juggats are nothing but a satire and most of the time it does not make much sense. Just take the statements of Shoaib as Juggatain and then everything will be fine.

Faheem | 9 years ago | Reply Shoaib with his Tamil Nadu looks and broken indian English accent blends so well with them..please stay there Shoaib Sharma!

Dishum | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistanis like to criticize all things Indian as "cheap". If CNWK is a cheap show despite its huge viewership and profitability, then all of Pakistan's entertainment industry must be worth less than zero.

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