The Scottish off-spinner, Majid Haq, has been sent home from the World Cup after an inappropriate comment on social media, which suggested that he felt victimised on grounds of race.

Haq was omitted from the Scotland team defeated by 148 runs by Sri Lanka in Hobart. Such was his disappointment at being left out that he tweeted:

“Always tougher when your [sic] in the minority #colour #race”

This tweet was deleted soon after its appearance but Haq was equally swiftly dispatched on a flight back to Scotland for his indiscretion.

In a statement, Cricket Scotland said: “Following a breach of Cricket Scotland’s internal code of conduct, international team member, Majid Haq, is travelling home from the ICC World Cup. No further statement will be issued until internal processes have been completed in due course.”

This is not the first time that Haq has fallen foul on social media. He will start a three-week ban at the start of the season from his league, the West District Cricket Union, for comments on social media.

Haq, 32 and Scotland’s all-time leading wicket-taker, has represented his country more than anybody and he played in the team’s first four matches in this World Cup. He had taken just three wickets in those games but he had been the side’s most economical bowler with his slow off-breaks.

However in Hobart the Scottish selectors decided to give an opportunity to Michael Leask, a promising young off-spinner, in the knowledge that their chances of progressing in the tournament had long since disappeared.

Had Haq remained in Hobart he would have witnessed another Scottish defeat. Yet again Kumar Sangakkara hit a century, a record fourth consecutive hundred in ODI cricket as Sri Lanka amassed 363 for nine. Life does not get much easier for the Scots. On Saturday they play Australia in Hobart in their final game of the tournament.

Source - The Guardian