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Harsh Goenka seeks help to decode Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Rizwan’s puzzling viral interview

A video of Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Rizwan’s unclear response to a reporter has gone viral, sparking debates and memes.

Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Rizwan’s puzzling viral interview

Pakistani cricketers have often faced online trolling for their English-speaking skills, and now, Mohammad Rizwan has joined the list. A video of Pakistan’s white-ball captain has been doing the rounds on social media, in which his response to a reporter’s question has left many scratching their heads. Indian businessman Harsh Goenka even reshared the clip on X, inviting users to decipher Rizwan’s puzzling answer.

The incident occurred ahead of the first one-day international (ODI) match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 4. Rizwan was asked about the Champions Trophy, but his reply — which seemed incoherent to many — quickly turned into fodder for memes and debates online.

Watch the clip:

If you can understand what the Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan is saying do let me know 😄😀😀 pic.twitter.com/wbNfpkkjvM

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) November 16, 2024

Harsh Goenka shared the clip online a few days ago and captioned it, “If you can understand what the Pakistan captain Muhammad Rizwan is saying, do let me know.” The post quickly made waves on X, with many speculating that Goenka might have been poking fun at Rizwan’s English fluency.

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Displeased, one user wrote, “I have always felt that it’s wrong. When someone can’t speak English, why interview him in English? Makes no sense. They earn so much money through players, can’t they hire a translator? Why does the need to learn a different language just because you are a cricketer?”

Another user gave a suggestion, “PCB should just hire one interpreter to go with the team instead of facing this embarrassment!”

A third user quipped, “Finally I believe..English is a funny language.”

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Champions Trophy 2025

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the Indian government has advised against sending the national team to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, scheduled from February 19 to March 9. As a result, the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will most likely have to come up with an alternative arrangement, which could involve a hybrid model. This would see India play their matches at a neutral venue, while the rest of the tournament takes place in Pakistan.

Additionally, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah strongly criticised the PCB’s decision to include Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in the trophy tour for the Champions Trophy. He called for the ICC to take appropriate action, highlighting concerns over the region’s territorial integrity and the potential for political interference in the sport.