Rishad apologises for controversial remarks about Mitchell and Curran

Bangladeshi cricketer Rishad Hossain got his first experience of playing in a foreign franchise league with the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He also performed well for the franchise, Lahore Qalandars, by taking nine wickets in five matches.

However, due to recent tensions between India and Pakistan, there came an announcement about suspension on the PSL last Friday. Then Rishad returned to Bangladesh via Dubai the following day, on Saturday.

This Bangladeshi leg-spinning all-rounder gave an interview shortly after arriving in Dubai.

While describing the overall situation amid the cross-border firing between India and Pakistan, and how panicked his Lahore Qalandars teammates were, Rishad made a controversial remark involving Daryl Mitchell and Tom Curran. Stating that the comment has sparked confusion and controversy within the cricket community, Rishad has now issued an apology.

On Sunday night Rishad wrote on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, “I’m aware that a recent comment I made has caused confusion and has unfortunately been misrepresented in the media, creating a false perception. The comment was made during a brief interview with Bangladeshi journalists while I was in transit at Dubai Airport. It lacked full context and unintentionally overstated the emotions involved.”

Twenty-two-years-old Rishad further wrote apologetically, “I sincerely regret any misunderstanding it may have caused. I’ve offered an unconditional apology to Daryl Mitchell and Tom Curran. I hold deep respect for my fellow teammates and truly value the Qalandars brotherhood — where we always stand by one another, no matter what."

With a ceasefire agreed between India and Pakistan through the mediation of US President Donald Trump, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is now planning to resume the Pakistan Super League (PSL) soon.

If all goes well, the remaining matches of the tournament could restart within a week. Rishad has also expressed his anticipation, saying, “I look forward to rejoining my team when the Pakistan Super League resumes.”

After arriving in Dubai, Rishad had told a Bangladeshi cricket website there, “Among the foreign players- Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kusal Perera, David Wiese, Tom Curran... they were all terrified. Mitchell told me he would never go to Pakistan again. Tom Curran was crying like a child. It took two to three people to calm him down.”