Operation Sindoor: 'My parents were in PoK' - England star cricketer's explosive revelation
England all-rounder
has made a startling revelation about the whereabouts of his parents, who were in
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
(PoK) when India began the
.
'My parents were actually in Kashmir (PoK) at the time… in Pakistan, only about an hour away from where the strikes happened, probably.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Maybe a bit farther," said Moeen, who is currently playing for the
Kolkata Knight Riders
(KKR) in the IPL, on the Beard Before Wicket podcast.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
"It was a bit crazy, and then they managed to get the only flights out on that day. I was glad they got out, but it was crazy.'
Sharing his own experience when the IPL was halted for a week, Moeen said: 'It was mad. Obviously, there were those attacks in Kashmir before everything really kicked off.
Then within no time, things just rapidly escalated, and all of a sudden we were in the middle of it.
Bombay Sport Exchange Ep 5: Shane Watson on how IPL gave him a lifeline & his tribute to Phil Hughes
"It felt like we were in the middle of a war, but obviously we didn't hear anything (like missiles striking). All of a sudden, you're just scrambling to get out of the country and just trying to make sure your family's fine. People are worried about you back home, and you just want to make sure they're at ease as well.'
Moeen Ali, who has Pakistani roots, recollected the experience after the game between Punjab Kings and
Delhi Capitals
was halted abruptly during the first innings in
Dharamsala
due to blackouts in certain parts of the country.
'People weren't quite sure what was happening or how things were. I spoke to a lot of the guys. Some of them were like, 'There won't be a war; everything will be fine. These things have happened before.' Some guys were like, 'I think there'll be a war. I think there'll be some sort of retaliation or whatever you want to call it,'" he said.
'There's so much lying going on that it's hard to believe people — especially the news outlets and journalists.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
You don't know exactly what's going on, and that's the scary bit, because you don't know where you stand. You don't know if things are going to escalate quickly. The thing we were most worried about was flights getting cancelled and not being able to get out.
"But it must be so much harder for the local players or for guys who are Pakistani or Indian, stuck there not knowing what's going to happen.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
The concentric circles of guilt in a sports-loving city
For no fault of the players, RCB's first IPL title will always be associated with death and disaster. Rajat Patidar and his boys deserved better, as did the lakhs of fans who turned up that Wednesday morning to share in the triumph. Sport is a life-affirming activity, and to die in its support goes against the natural order of things. Eleven fans died, and no amount of buck-passing will make a difference to their families and loved ones. I have lived in Bengaluru for more years than anywhere else, starting from primary school. But you don't have to be a local to feel the terrible weight of the human disaster. Especially one which with some foresight and common sense could have been avoided. A marketing opportunity for one group, a photo-op for another saw the death of innocence in a sports-loving city. Accountability usually works in a series of concentric circles. Steadily, depending on the public reaction, it moves from the outermost circle which is the least to blame and moves towards the centre. There are, of course varying degrees of guilt, starting from the outermost circle, which was quickly brought into the picture by the Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) when he said the crowds were 'uncontrollable.' This is the politician's first line of defence — the people did it. But this is not an issue likely to disappear, especially since the politicians appeared to be more keen on posing with the players than on dealing with the situation. Does the DCM deserve the benefit of the doubt when he claimed that inside the stadium he did not know about the stampede outside? No official told him? The politicians belong to the innermost circle — is the momentum of the accountability strong enough to get to them? Lack of communication Letters emerging from top police officials warning of the dangers of the lack of preparation for controlling huge crowds suggest that ultimately decisions were taken to which they were not privy. The lack of clear communication between the organisers (there is still some confusion about who these were, the government, the Karnataka State Cricket Association or RCB, or all three at different times and venues) and the public was, in the end, fatal. Crowds respond to rumours; they contain professional trouble-makers, some fuelled by drink. Many seek a shared kinship amidst unemployment and marginalisation. There is too the culture of the IPL itself, which encourages over-the-top reactions. Irrational, overplayed and illogical, it is one of sport's techniques to put 'bums on seats', as the boxer Muhammad Ali memorably put it. Or bums on couches before the television. Rivalry, individual as well as among teams, is encouraged. Remember the famous slap in the early years, when Harbhajan Singh, an India player, slapped Sreesanth, another India player? There is no such thing as bad publicity, those officials believed, but now they have overplayed their hand. 'Celebration' and rotten behaviour If cricket fans in India have become indistinguishable from football fans in Europe, the culture of the IPL has something to do with this. 'Celebration' — whether on New Year's Eve or at festivals — seems a free pass to rotten behaviour, physical abuse of women, and perhaps an outlet for many frustrations. Anonymity in a crowd is of the kind that social media guarantees, so is the entitlement. Perhaps the refusal to listen to authority or follow instructions comes from the same mindset. That, of course, ought not to stop authority, from the politicians to the police from doing their job of keeping everybody safe. Would lakhs have turned up to greet the Karnataka team had they won the Ranji Trophy? It seems that most of India's fans are not so much cricket lovers as cricketer lovers. Social media has fed into the interminable hunger for news of personalities, building the players up in the process and putting them out of reach of the everyday. But those questions will have to await another day. For the moment, it is important to sift the essential from the incidental. Senior policemen have been suspended, an RCB official faced arrest, two office-bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association have resigned. But who among the inner circle knowing the possible consequences gave the go-ahead? Check the photographs.
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Meet this bowler who bowls at 150 kmph, started his career as runner, his name is...
Vellore-born R D Pranav Raghavendra is making a lot of headlines in the Indian cricket circles these days. At just 17 years of age, the right-arm pacer has already made a name for himself with his sheer pace and discipline. During a recent training session, he bowled at a speed of 147.3 kmph, which shows his tremendous speed. Seeing such a fast pace from a young player has created excitement among both coaches and fans. Interestingly, Pranav was not always on the cricketing path. He started out as a sprinter in his childhood and excelled in the 100-meter race. The shift to cricket came when a doctor advised his parents to enroll him in a team sport after he became socially withdrawn after the birth of his younger sibling. That small suggestion changed his future. Once he stepped on the cricket field, Pranav became obsessed with speed and dedicated himself to becoming a true fast bowler. However, he is not just focusing on speed. He knows that consistency, control and fitness are equally important. Pranav said, "I love speed and I want to bowl fast. It always feels great when you scare batsmen with bouncers and hit the ball hard on their gloves. To continue this, I have to work on many aspects including accuracy, which is why I don't keep an eye on the speed gun." It was during a session at BCCI's Bengaluru-based Centre of Excellence that he registered a mark of 147.3 kmph. According to The Indian Express, this is the fastest ball bowled by any Indian U-19 cricketer till date. The feat is a testament to Pranav's sheer pace and potential, putting him at the forefront of India's young fast bowlers. Pranav's fast bowling development is also being guided by top mentors. He trained under Australian great Glenn McGrath at the MRF Pace Foundation and impressed everyone by clocking 139 kmph at just 16 years of age. His progress has continued apace. MRF Pace Foundation head coach M Senthilnathan has high hopes from the young pacer. With his natural pace and growing experience, many believe that Pranav could cross the 150 kmph milestone very soon - a rare feat for any young Indian bowler. This makes him a very exciting prospect for the future of Indian fast bowling, with him expected to lead the pace attack for the national team.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Suresh Raina hails MS Dhoni's ICC Hall of Fame induction: ‘His legacy will continue…'
Suresh Raina has celebrated MS Dhoni's inclusion in the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame. Dhoni became the 11th Indian to receive the honour on Monday and was among seven former players to have been inducted. Raina, who played a majority of his career under the captaincy of Dhoni in international cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) said that the honour is 'well deserved'. 'The Legend Enters the Hall! @mahi7781 incredible career & contributions to cricket have earned him a well-deserved spot in the Hall of Fame. From electrifying finishes to game-changing leadership, Dhoni bhai has left an indelible mark on the sport. His calm demeanor, razor-sharp instincts & unwavering commitment have inspired millions. A true icon & legend of the game, his legacy will continue to inspire generations of cricketers #MSDhoni #HallOfFame #legend,' Raina wrote in a post on Instagram. Regarded as one of the most successful captains of all time, Dhoni led India to victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. Additionally, he was captain of the Indian team when they climbed to the top of the ICC Test rankings in 2009. 'It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever,' Dhoni is quoted as saying by the ICC in its statement announcing the induction. The other greats who were inducted along with Dhoni were Australia's Matthew Hayden, former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori, South African Hashim Amla, former Pakistan captain Sana Mir and England's Sarah Taylor. The former India players to be inducted before Dhoni are Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Diana Edulji, Anil Kumble, Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, Vinoo Mankad and Neetu David.
