IPL 2021: Twitter lauds English cricketers for defending Moeen Ali over Taslima Nasreen's controversial comment

England cricketers have come out in full support of Moeen Ali after controversial writer Taslima Nasreen put up a distasteful tweet regarding the all-rounder.

In a tweet, which she later deleted following massive backlash, Taslima Nasreen had written:

“If Moeen Ali were not stuck with cricket, he would have gone to Syria to join ISIS.”

Far from impressed with the shocking tweet, many England cricketers took to Twitter to slam the writer.

Jofra Archer questioned Nasreen by tweeting:

“Are you okay. I don’t think you’re okay.”

Fast bowler Saqib Mahmood blasted Nasreen and wrote:

“Can’t believe this. Disgusting tweet. Disgusting individual.”

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings put out a tweet asking everyone to report the account. Ben Duckett also came out in Moeen Ali’s support and tweeted:

“This is the problem with this app. People being able to say stuff like this. Disgusting. Things need to change, please report this account!”

English Players supporting Moeen Ali pic.twitter.com/hicEHeHgKp

— ਜ਼ਮਾਨ زماں (@Delhiite_) April 6, 2021

Twitter praises English cricketers for standing behind Moeen Ali

Impressed with the forthright stand taken by England cricketers for Moeen Ali, many took to Twitter to praise them.

They also reminded Indian cricketers of their silence when the Wasim Jaffer controversy broke out in India.

The 42-year-old Jaffer quit as Uttarakhand coach earlier this year, alleging interference and bias in selection. However, Cricket Association of Uttarakhand officials hit back at him, claiming he took a communal approach towards selection during his tenure as coach.

Here are some tweets in this regard:

English cricketers. Indian CricketersRaised the voice were silent about For Moen Ali Wasim Jaffar.#MoeenAli pic.twitter.com/xJiJEkUbSj

— Muhammad (@MohdBM793) April 6, 2021

English players taking a stand for Moeen Ali against Taslima Nasreen is very inspirational and a lesson for many Indians as well, who quietly see their fellow professionals getting hounded by pseuod nationalists under the guise of religious nationalism!#MoeenAli pic.twitter.com/M9S3PS1tGS

— Stand for Humanity (@we_are_2united) April 6, 2021

Huge support for Moeen Ali And i m one of from those 🙏💪💪 #MoeenAli 😍Everyone to Taslima Nasreen 😆 pic.twitter.com/93h1S0ZPmt

— 🦋.....KRITI .....🦋 (@Kritiii96) April 6, 2021

I've met both Hashim Amla and Moeen Ali and happily say that both these cricketers are wonderful humans off the field too Unfortunately, they get targetted because of their religion Sad state of affairs! https://t.co/fOqVD0LB0X

— Vinesh Prabhu (@vlp1994) April 6, 2021

Shame on you @taslimanasreen. You will be remembered as a garden variety bigot not a writer, certainly not a rationalist or feminist. https://t.co/tjjeheBmdJ

— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) April 6, 2021

Oh my! I was your fan!Why so much intolerance? U don't believe in free speech of those ppl whom u hate?Becoz u don't like my tweet, I'm no writer, no rationalist,no feminist?My struggle for 40yrs gone! Before issuing such a hateful fatwa,u could hv asked me why said tht abt Ali. https://t.co/25yVz0jm2I

— taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) April 6, 2021

Taslima Nasreen defends Moeen Ali tweet

While Nasreen did delete her controversial post over Moeen Ali, she put out a clarification stating that her tweet on the England all-rounder was 'sarcastic'. Defending herself, she wrote:

“Haters know very well that my Moeen Ali tweet was sarcastic. But they made that an issue to humiliate me because I try to secularize Muslim society & I oppose Islamic fanaticism. One of the greatest tragedies of humankind is pro-women leftists support anti-women Islamists.”

Nasreen was again criticised for her views. Here are some tweets related to the same:

Haters know very well that my Moeen Ali tweet was sarcastic. But they made that an issue to humiliate me because I try to secularize Muslim society & I oppose Islamic fanaticism. One of the greatest tragedies of humankind is pro-women leftists support anti-women Islamists.

— taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) April 6, 2021

Sarcastic ? No one is laughing , not even yourself , the least you can do is delete the tweet https://t.co/Dl7lWdvSd4

— Jofra Archer (@JofraArcher) April 6, 2021

Sarcasm is an art and not everyone is an artist. It does require a lot of wit to frame it. Addressing someone a terrorist or anti-national "sarcastically" does not make you a cooler person. Shame on your mentality Ms.Taslima Nasreen!! #MoeenAli

— TheIrisFlake🖤 (@IrisFlake) April 6, 2021

No your tweet wasn't sarcastic You didn't expect that moeen ali get support from his team mate and people,

— Fakirjeevi (@H7Sagar) April 6, 2021

Moeen Ali will turn out for Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was picked up by the franchise at the mini-auction for INR 5 crore earlier this year.