WEB CHUTNEY

England cricketer Moeen Ali was detained at Birmingham airport on Saturday for about 40 minutes owing to ‘airport rules and regulations’, while he was on his way to join the rest of the Worcestershire side for the opening game of the 2016 County Championship.

The 28-year-old all rounder said that he never had to face a similar issue while travelling with the rest of the team.

Have never been stopped at the airport when travelling with a team in uniform, but travel alone and get stopped for 40 minutes!! Joke

— Moeen Ali (@MoeenAli) April 9, 2024

Adil Rashid and Owais Shah, other England cricketers of Asian origin, were quick to stand in solidarity with Ali.

@MoeenAli that's a shambles my pra #clowns

— Adil Rashid (@AdilRashid03) April 9, 2024

@MoeenAli your beard might have something to do with it. #sadreally

— Owais shah (@owaisshah203) April 9, 2024

But not everyone was not so considerate.

@MoeenAli Stop playing the Victim card. The security people are just trying to do their job. You would do the same @AdilRashid03 @adilray

— Matt Marshall (@MDMarshall376) April 11, 2024

Some even went on to compare him with ISIS.

@MoeenAli Unfortunately ISIS folks look exactly like you - can't blame security for being careful

— Kiran Ahmed (@kiranahmedd) April 9, 2024

Yes, these ISIS terrorists looked exactly like @moeenali

@Yellow_Lellow @MoeenAli How about this one ? pic.twitter.com/m6xiVohlKp

— Kiran Ahmed (@kiranahmedd) April 9, 2024

While some people had something meaningful to say:

@kiranahmedd On the contrary, the ISIS folks don't even have beards, mostly are clean shaven. And terrorist doesn't have a look @MoeenAli

— ~ Tariq ~ (@tariqmss) April 9, 2024

@kiranahmedd @MoeenAli Check the ISIS nut jobs in the Paris & Brussels attacks… None of those uneducated moron's had a Moeenesqe beard

— Ayub Patel (@AyubPatel123) April 9, 2024

@MoeenAli pic.twitter.com/0TYZZQzCN3

— Naeem (@NaeemRiaz) April 9, 2024

Last year, Shivnarine Chanderpaul had been detained at an airport in the West Indies and put through similar humiliation, but there had been no religous colouring to that incident.