Tabraiz Shamsi opens up about social media bullying and says, ‘Abuse hurled at my wife’
Following the dismissal of an Indian batsman during a recent T20 match in South Africa, Tabraiz Shamsi has opened up about the social media abuse that has been directed at him and his family. According to Shamsi, some of the abuse has even gone as far as targeting his wife on social media.
The incident took place during the 2nd T20I between India and South Africa at St. George’s Park on December 12. Shamsi had celebrated after taking the decisive wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, and the Indian fans reacted strongly on social media. Players are used to being criticized and praised at the same time, but this time the tone of the comments went beyond the bounds of sportsmanship.
Shamsi said in a statement that he was disappointed with the use of toxic language and urged fans to be respectful of the online space. He added that these comments not only affect the players but their families as well, and he called on fans to be more respectful.
Shamsi said, “People took it in a negative way; they thought it was disrespectful. I had so much abuse hurled at me. It was probably the worst it’s ever been. There was also abuse hurled at my wife. I didn’t appreciate that. It’s uncalled for. It’s fine if you want to have a dig at the players, but to involve family and say nasty things pushes it to another level.”
He further said, “I feel that if players don’t say anything about it, then people think they have a free license."More people need to speak up and say it’s not OK. Yes, we’re all trying our best. Yes, your team might not win, or you might not agree with certain things. But you need to behave like a human being. You can’t carry on like an animal.”