Was Hashim Amla Fasting When He Scored A Triple Century?

Recently cricketer Mohammed Shami has been facing criticism for not fasting during the semi-final match between India and Australia. Against this backdrop, a social media post went viral claiming that the South African cricketer Hashim Amla scored a triple century against England while fasting during Ramadan. The social media post reads, “Hasim Amla Scored Triple Century While Fasting & Shami No Fasting in 3 Hours Game”

Facebook Link | Archived Link.

However, as we investigated, we came to know that the claim was false. Hashim Amla was not fasting during that match. Here’s the fact check.

Fact Check 

We started our investigation by conducting a relevant keyword search. Hashim Amla scored 311 runs (not out) in the England vs South Africa match on 19 July 2012. 

We found a report published in The Guardian on 22 July 2012. According to the report, Hashim Amla was not fasting during the match. The report read, “The biggest cheer from England supporters here yesterday arrived shortly after tea; Bradley Wiggins, it was announced, had won the Tour de France. The only other rousing shout marked Jimmy Anderson beating the outside edge of Hashim Amla’s bat. The celebration was soaked in irony and was followed by sarcastic applause.

Only Don Bradman and Brian Lara have scored more runs against England in a single innings than Amla’s unbeaten 311 here, making him the first South African to score a Test triple hundred.

Amla claims that he eats like a rabbit but, unfortunately from the perspective of England’s bowlers, he does not bat like one. The only surprise is that this devout Muslim is eating at all, for it is Ramadan and in the past not even Test cricket has been allowed to interrupt the vigilance of his religious observance. Here, though, he has put fasting on hold.

“Because I’m travelling away from home I don’t have to fast,” he said. “So I haven’t been fasting. But I will make it up when I get home.””

Please read here. Archived Link.

Moving forward, we found another report that mentioned Hashim Amla’s 311 (not out) score in the test against England in 2012. The report stated that Hashim Amla wasn’t fasting during that match.

Please read here. Archived Link.

One more article stating the same can be read here.

This makes it clear that Hashim Amla was not fasting in the test match against England in 2012 where he scored 311 runs.

Conclusion 

From our investigation, we can say that the claim is false. Hashim Amla was not fasting during the match against England in 2012 where he scored a triple century.