Indian pace spearhead Mohammed Shami is in the eye of a storm after a video emerged showing him having an energy drink during the holy month of Ramadan. The footage is reportedly from the India-Australia semifinal of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, in which Shami took 3/48.
The Men in Blue won by four wickets and entered the final, where they will play New Zealand on March 9 in Dubai.
All India Muslim Jamaat national president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said that Shami has committed a sin by not fasting during the Islamic holy month. "In the eyes of Shariat, he is a criminal, he should not have done this at all," he said.
Advising Shami to follow the rules of Shariat and be responsible towards Islam, Barelvi said, "It is the responsibility of all Muslims to follow the rules of Shariat. Fasting is obligatory in Islam. Playing cricket is not bad, but Mohammed Shami should fulfil his religious responsibilities.”
However, the 34-year-old pacer has been getting support from all quarters, including other Muslim clerics. Among his supporters is Congress leader Shama Mohamed, who had recently courted controversy for calling India captain Rohit Sharma an “unimpressive skipper” and also “fat”.
Talking to ANI, she said there is no compulsion that a person who is playing a sport has to observe fast during Ramadan.
Did Mohammed Shami commit ‘sin’ by not observing fast on Ramadan?
All India Muslim Personal Law Board, too, was of the same opinion. AIMPLB executive member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahli told ANI that, according to Quran, if a person is on a journey or not well, they have the option not to observe Roza.
Shami was sidelined for over a year with an ankle injury he suffered during the 2023 ODI World Cup, but has been India’s strike bowler in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with eight wickets already – NZ’s Matt Henry leads the bowling charts with 10 wickets.
