When a public personality lives life onscreen, they allow the world to participate in their private life. Be it a relationship, family, friends, style choices, an opinion on a social issue, or even just what they eat – their life, delivered through reels, Instagram posts, X posts, or a single image, speaks a thousand words. Whether they like it or not, their life choices become a topic of public debate – applauded or criticized, appreciated or trolled. The internet does not take lightly a father of three walking out of a marriage and then tying the knot within a few months – a very public knot, celebrated and broadcasted on social media.
The fact that this person happens to be a cricketer, a celebrity, and possibly an influencer for many young minds – especially young men who aspire to play sports, achieve glory, represent their national team, and seem appealing to the opposite sex while doing it all – means their actions will inevitably be scrutinized, dissected, and called out when they fall from grace.
And fall from grace they did – not just the Pakistani cricket team, who once again lost to a better side (the problem was not losing, but the lack of passion to succeed), but also cricketers – even ex-cricketers who still play on an international stage and command a sizeable fandom. These individuals are looked up to as role models, shining examples, and inspirations in a country where we are often devoid of heroic stories – not because they don’t exist, but because we choose not to tell them. Take our squash legend Jahangir Khan – six-time World Open winner, ten-time British Open winner – or our mountaineer Samina Baig – the first Pakistani woman to summit Mount Everest – their stories are remarkable, yet the silence surrounding them is deafening.
Instead, we wonder why our youth lacks inspiration, follows Western trends, adopts role models from other cultures, and often seems lost.
It is no secret that we are exposed to cricketers announcing divorces and remarriages, and actors unpacking their personal lives on social media – from marriage to fatherhood to separation.
The Pakistani youth are deprived of stars who share positivity, live up to the ideals we are taught to believe in, and stay grounded even while reaching for the stars. Is it any wonder that young girls refuse to believe in love or stable relationships, or that young men see their idols fall from grace – walking away from committed relationships, fatherhood, responsibility, and respect for the women they once chose to spend their lives with – publicly?
Cricket is perhaps the most revered sport in a country with few outlets for national pride. Beyond Coke Studio Pakistan, the occasional exceptional drama, and personalities like Mahira Khan, there is little else to celebrate for a population of over 250 million.
So when cricket and cricketers fall from grace – as they have in recent performances – and we don’t have a backup sport to turn to, the result is a nation that feels robbed of its idols, a generation that grows up cynical, and a mindset that normalizes cheating and getting away with it.
In short, whether they acknowledge it or not, by occupying a public space, our celebrities and cricketers – the heroes our youth admires – have an unspoken responsibility. If they can make life decisions without considering social fallout, walking away from relationships and commitments, they risk desecrating both the sport and the social space afforded to them. Fame brings influence, but respect must still be earned.
If Imad Wasim or any other celebrity engages in questionable behavior, leaves a marriage, and neglects fatherhood, they have every right to do so legally. But to play it out publicly, posting pictures of a new ceremony shortly after announcing a divorce, disregarding public censure, they must understand that with a public image comes responsibility. A disregard for this responsibility leads to loss of respect from the very fans who supported them. You may play for the nation, you may win for the nation, but the public will only respect you off the field if you adhere to the highest moral and ethical standards. A million eyes are watching, and you are answerable to a nation that wants to respect you both on and off the field.
Sadly, this respect may not come anytime soon.
Fans have already criticized Islamabad United for signing Imad Wasim for the latest PSL season. We call out team players for racist comments, match-fixing, and gender bias – so when will professional teams insist on a code of conduct for behavior off the field? When does a national hero cease to be a national hero?
The phrase “it’s just not cricket” should carry weight both on the field and off it.
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