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Bearded Muslim South African cricketer Hashim Amla says he isn’t a role model for his religion but knows, as a professional international sportsman, the title is his whether he wants it or not.
Amla, the first South African of Indian descent to represent the Proteas, has seen his chosen sport rocked by the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which prompted England’s players to briefly go home before returning this week to continue their Indian tour.
Pakistan has detained the founder of one of the main Islamic groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir, a Pakistani minister said, as New Delhi demanded further action after the Mumbai attacks.
Maulana Masood Azhar, head of the Jaish-e-Mohammed rebel group, is reported to be on a list of people that India last week asked Pakistan to extradite in the wake of the Mumbai siege.
Amla says the attacks, which killed nearly 200 people, have been condemned by Islam.
“I’m quite not involved in politics from that perspective,” he told reporters at the WACA Ground in Perth.
“If you look at Islam, the way that I have been taught and the way I have learnt Islam to be, the way I accept it, certainly it gives me a lot of stability and discipline as well.
“With regard to the greater outer world and what happens out there, really I feel pretty much divorced from that.
“Personally I don’t think that if a Muslim appears to be doing something like that (the Mumbai attacks) … it is certainly condemned in Islam.
“To the person playing cricket, I don’t think people have to separate religion and sport.
“I really don’t see myself as a role model but I think as a sportsman it would be very naive that a sportsman is anything but a real role model as well.
“I try to practice my faith to the best of my ability. If people see that in a positive light … ”
The quietly spoken Amla’s religious beliefs provided an immediate hurdle when he made his Test debut, but this was quickly overcome.
He asked that logos promoting alcohol be removed from his playing shirt.
“Since I made my debut in 2004, it was an issue then. Fortunately South Africa is a country that is very understanding,” he said.
“We do come from a difficult path with the racial prejudices that did exist.
“Our country is very much accepting … When I made the team and I put forward the request to the United Cricket Board at the time, they were very much accommodating.”
With 1012 runs at 53.26 in 2008, Amla is in top form with the bat.
Whether he can handle Perth’s bouncy pitch and some barracking from the crowd is another matter. WACA chief executive Graeme Wood has already warned fans they will be evicted from the ground and face possible charges for any racial taunting.
South Africa lodged an official complaint when several of their players were racially abused by spectators during the 2005 Perth Test.
“I am very much here with an open mind,” Amla said, smiling warmly.
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