When furious Inzamam-ul-Haq attacked an Indian fan who called him ‘aloo’, ‘motu’

New Delhi: The term ‘gentle giant’ perhaps best describes former Pakistan cricket captain Inzamam-ul-Haq.

The right-hander, apart from being one of the best batsmen of his generation, was soft-spoken and a man of few words.

Unlike some of his other feisty teammates, Inzy was not the type who got involved in on-field bust-ups.

Hence it was rather shocking to see the stylish right-hander lose his cool during a Sahara Cup match between India and Pakistan.

The incident occurred in 1997 during the 2nd ODI of the series at Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club. Shiv Kumar Thind, a Canada-based Indian, was constantly sledging Inzamam who was fielding at slip.

To make matters worse, Thind was armed with a megaphone and was cheered on by a group of Indian supporters.

“O mote, sidha khara ho [O fatso, stand straight], mota aaloo, sara alloo [fat potato, rotten potato],” he repeatedly chanted.

Like most professional sportsmen, Inzy too initially ignored the fans. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for long as the Pakistan batsman entered the stands in an attempt to attack Thind.

With a bat in hand, Inzy could have caused serious damage if he hadn’t been stopped by the security personnel.

Bureau Report