Imran terms international cricketers playing PSL final as 'Phateechars'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani cricket legend Imran Khan has termed foreign players — who played the final of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2017 at Lahore on Sunday — as ‘Phateechars’ (low-level), ARY News reported.

His statements regarding the foreign players playing in the PSL 2017 final came in the open in a video which went viral on social media.

Khan, speaking in a press conference, said that the ‘phateechar players’ would have come to play in Pakistan anyways. He added that he does not even know the countries from where the players hailed from.

He said that the PSL management brought some players from Africa and labelled them as foreign players.

It should be noted that several foreign players including Dawid Malan, Marlon Samuels, Darren Sammy, Elton Chigumbura, Chris Jordan, Morne van Wyk, Anamul Haque, Sean Ervine, Rayad Emrit took part in the final of the cricket league on Sunday at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium despite the security concerns in the country. Cricket legend Sir Vivian Richards was also present in Lahore, who arrived as mentor of Quetta Gladiators in the historic city.

It should be noted that Khan had stated that staging the PSL 2017 final was “madness”.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was criticized heavily on social media for the statement.

Wht @ImranKhanPTI was thinking wen he gave this #Phateechar statement?

— Jamshed Jadun (@jamshedjadun) March 7, 2017

racially insensitive remarks IK made is worst than calling them #Phateechar😏this level of disrespect can’t b expected from a leader like him https://t.co/dcyxo6fEIw

— Benazir Mir Samad (@BenazirMirSamad) March 7, 2017

Shameful that #ImranKhan — who won a World Cup — can stoop so low by giving such #Phateechar statements just because his politics failed.

— Raza Haidery (@itstherazz) March 7, 2017

Sammy won 2 world cups, Samules man of the match of world t20 final still #phateechar

— Soban Javed (@sobanjaved) March 6, 2017

By such statements @ImranKhanPTI is hammering his own foot. Try to have a habbit of thinking before speaking .#Phateechar

— Muhammad Imran (@Mi6686347Imran) March 7, 2017

Overseas players took the risk, went against their families & turned up for the revival of cricket in Pak and yet you call them #Phateechar

— Mohammad Rehan (@RyhanEnvar) March 7, 2017

Shame on @ImranKhanPTI on using cheap language for the foreign players. We ought to welcome the players who opted to visit us.#Phateechar

— Muhammad Imran (@Mi6686347Imran) March 7, 2017

Deflecting his political failures by debasing talented sportsmen is disgusting. IK’s made a mockery of himself, Pak & cricket. #Phateechar

— Sara Hayat (@saratamman) March 7, 2017

PSL International players is not PHATEECHAR,Basically Our Politicians is #Phateechar pic.twitter.com/Z77whE0g5M

— Shazia nisar (@Shazianisar6) March 7, 2017