 "Mohammad Rizwan responds to trolls who mock his English speaking skills. Image: X")
Pakistan’s star cricketer Mohammad Rizwan has responded with grace and dignity to social media trolling aimed at his English-speaking skills. This comes just a day after a Pakistani journalist took a jibe at Rizwan’s ‘win or learn’ comment during a press conference for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 season.
Rizwan breaks silence on English trolling
Speaking before his team’s opening game of the PSL 2025 season, Rizwan addressed the criticism, admitting he never received a formal education, which is why his English-speaking skills are not up to the mark. However, Rizwan said that he remains proud of the fact that whatever he says, it always comes from his heart.
“I don’t care [about social media trolling]. I am proud of one thing and that is whatever I say, I say from my heart. I don’t know English. The only regret is that I did not get enough education but I am not even one per cent ashamed that I can’t speak English despite being the captain of the Pakistan cricket team,” Rizwan stated.
“The demand from me is cricket, not English. There is a regret that I did not complete my education, which is why I struggle in speaking English. Pakistan is not demanding English from me. If that were the case, I would leave cricket to become a professor, but I do not have that much time,” he added.
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View All‘Win or learn’: Pakistani journalist’s jibe
Rizwan was recently ridiculed by a Pakistani reporter during the captains’ press conference ahead of the PSL 2025 opener. The journalist took a cheeky dig, referencing Rizwan’s often-used ‘win or learn’ line, asking whether the Multan Sultans, under his captaincy, would finally start winning after “learning” for years.
Rizwan responded by saying, “Aisa hai ki mujhe result ki parwa nahin hai. Result Allah ke haath mein hai. Allah ne jo cheez hamaare haath mein di hai, usko hum fulfil karne ki koshish karenge, chahe woh hard work ho, awareness ho. Koshish toh hum poori karenge. Allah win bhi deta hai, learn bhi deta hai. Humne usse seekhna hai.”
Rizwan has often found himself the subject of online trolling, particularly for his English-speaking skills in dressing room speeches and media appearances. Last month, Australia’s World Cup-winning star Brad Hogg received criticism for mocking Rizwan’s spoken English. He was part of a video in which a person could be seen making fun of Rizwan’s English. The video was not received well by fans, who slammed the Australian for being part of it.