On Thursday, a few Indian media outlets claimed that the New Zealand cricket commentator, Simon Doull, had described his stay in Pakistan as “hell.” These claims were further supported by an assertion that Doull had made the statement in an interview with Geo News. Consequently, Indian cricket fans began spreading the news, while Pakistani fans rushed to defend their country. However, it was later revealed that these claims were baseless, as neither did Doull make such remarks nor did Geo News report them.
To clear up the confusion, a UK-based reporter, Saj Sadiq, contacted Doull for his opinion on the matter. According to Sadiq, Doull responded by saying that he “absolutely loved” his stay in Pakistan. Sadiq further shared Doull’s statement on Twitter, which refuted the claims made by the Indian media outlets.
Apparently, the Indian media outlets had based their claims on a falsified graphic post, which suggested that Doull had faced threats from Babar Azam fans and had to remain confined to his residence without food for several days. This post was subsequently spread by Indian media outlets, along with claims that Geo News had reported on it.
Simon Doull, who had provided commentary during Pakistan Super League season 8, had faced severe criticism for his remarks about Babar’s strike rate. The New Zealand commentator even received abusive comments in his inbox, one of which he shared on social media.
As soon as the Indian channels began making these claims, Twitter was filled with comments, with cricket fans from both India and Pakistan expressing their opinions on the matter. However, Doull’s statement provided clarity on the issue, indicating that the claims made by the Indian media outlets were false.
To conclude, the allegations made by Indian media outlets regarding Simon Doull’s remarks about his stay in Pakistan were baseless. Doull, in fact, had enjoyed his time in the country and refuted any claims that suggested otherwise. Furthermore, the use of a falsified graphic post to spread false information highlights the need for responsible reporting and fact-checking in media outlets.
