Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai couldn’t stop herself from taking a cheeky dig at India in the 2019 Cricket World Cup opening party. India finished last in the 60-second cricket challenge, while Pakistan came seventh among 10 teams. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Opening Party: India Score Lowest Points in 60-Second Cricket Challenge, England Win.
Malala along with international cricketer Azhar Ali represented Pakistan in the 60-second cricket challenge game. Former Indian captain Anil Kumble and Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar turned out for India but failed score big. After several hits and miss team India scored 19 runs, the lowest among all teams.
Meanwhile, Pakistan scored 38 runs to finish seventh in the tournament, which was won by the hosts. Kevin Pietersen and Love Island's Chris Hughes played for England. Australia came second after hitting 69 runs, while England scored 74. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli, Eoin Morgan and Other Captains Met Queen Elizabeth II Ahead of Opening Party (View Pics).
Following the match, host Shibani Dandekar asked Malala about her team’s performance to which the 2014 Nobel Prize winner replied by taking a dig at India’s poor performance in the challenge. “Pakistan? We were okay, not too bad. We came seventh. But at least we were not last like India,” she said at the opening party.
Watch the Video Here:
You praise Pakistan, a nation where you can't go.
You demean India like a typical brainwashed Pakistani, yet India is a nation which you can safely visit.
Stop being petty and disgusting @Malala. pic.twitter.com/MGugFTKCfV
— VJ (@vinayak_jain) May 30, 2019
But although Malala said it without any bad intent, twitter roasted her for her hatred towards India. The 21-year-old youth icon for peace, however, later called for the game to support and encourage more involvement of women in sports. Cricket World Cup 2019 Google Doodle: Colourful and Animated Doodle Marks the Beginning of ICC CWC19 in England and Wales.
"Right now were are seeing more and more women taking part in sporting activities. In Pakistan, we have some amazing cricketers, including Sana Mir. These role models are inspiring women to believe in themselves that they are capable of anything. Women should engage more in sports and we all have to contribute to that and encourage women and girls," said Yousafzai.
The 60-second game was some sort of a gully cricket competition in which the players can hit as many deliveries as they can within the 60 seconds. The rule also states that the batsmen have to exchange strikes after each delivery.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 30, 2019 01:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).