ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan batter Babar Azam has come to the defence of his teammate Mohammad Rizwan, criticising the harsh backlash towards Rizwan’s popular phrase “win or learn,” which has become a target for mockery on social media.
Rizwan, who also serves as Pakistan’s wicketkeeper and ODI captain, introduced the phrase “win or learn” to encourage a positive outlook in the face of defeat.
However, the sentiment has been turned into a meme by online users, often poking fun at Rizwan’s English.
Speaking on the Peshawar Zalmi YouTube channel, the 30-year-old addressed the meme culture surrounding the comment and urged the public to appreciate the context behind Rizwan’s message.
“Who started this? It was our own people. It’s always our own who are intent on pulling each other down,” Babar remarked.
Choosing to interpret
“If he [Rizwan] said something from a certain perspective — you can choose to interpret and present it however you like,” he continued.
The right-hander emphasised the significance of mental health, particularly in sport, expressing concern over the lack of awareness and support in Pakistan.
“There’s no real concept of mental health in Pakistan, nor is there any significant effort to promote it, whereas overseas players give it considerable importance,” he observed.
“Here, when someone is struggling, we just push them down further — and turn them into a meme,” he added.
Mental resilience
Despite the criticism, Babar praised Rizwan’s mental resilience and unwavering faith.
“He’s extremely strong — stronger than all of us — and his belief is rock solid. Memes don’t affect Rizwan in the slightest. He says people are entitled to their opinions, and he’s not bothered by it,” Babar said of Rizwan.
He also reflected on the fickle nature of public opinion, particularly regarding Rizwan’s captaincy.
“Many people once said, ‘If Rizwan becomes captain, great things will happen.’ Now they’re calling for his removal. No one understands that better than I do,” he said.
“People will believe whatever you feed into their minds,” he concluded.
