Pakistan cricketers with their families seen at a cafe in England during the World Cup (Twitter) Pakistan cricketers with their families seen at a cafe in England during the World Cup (Twitter)

A petition has been filed in Sindh High Court against some Pakistan cricketers – Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz, Imam-ul-Haq and skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed – for smoking sheesha (hookah) before the World Cup match against India. According to reports, the petitioner, an advocate by the name of Abdul Jalil Marwat, said the act of smoking sheesha contributed to the players’ poor performance as they lost to India.

The petition also names Sania Mirza, Indian tennis player and Shoaib Malik’s wife, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

“In this important match, senior player Shoaib Malik scored zero runs, Imam-ul-Haq scored seven runs and Wahab Riaz took only one wicket,” the petition reads, according to Samaa TV.

India beat Pakistan by 89 runs on 16 June, with Rohit Sharma blasting 140 off 113 balls. This was India’s seventh win over Pakistan in World Cups. Pakistan have never beaten India in World Cups.

Heart-broken Pakistan cricket fans say they saw Shoaib Malik & others smoking Sheesha at 2am on Sunday, Winslow Road, just few hours before fight against India; smoking Sheesha no crime but just few hours b4 fight against India in the World Cup match? #PakvsInd pic.twitter.com/N4cIjzffGM — Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) June 16, 2019

A video of some Pakistan cricketers at a cafe with their family members went viral on social media platforms after Pakistan’s 89-run defeat.

“When sheesha smoking is indulged in hours before the match what can one expect but humiliation,” Minister for Human Rights in Imran Khan’s government, Shireen Mazari, had said.

Amid intense criticism, Shoaib Malik had then clarified that the video being circulated was not from the night before the India match, but in fact from two nights ago.

“When will Pak media be accountable for their credibility by our courts?! Having served my country for +20 years in Intl Cricket, it’s sad that I have to clarify things related to my personal life. The videos are from 13th June and not 15th,” he had tweeted.

Notably, Abdul Jalil Marwat, the petitioner, who calls himself ‘the biggest cricket fan’, had recently also filed an application in the same court to stop publication of Shahid Afridi’s autobiography for ‘demeaning’ Javed Miandad and Waqar Younis.

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