Yash Dayal denies Instagram posting an Islamophobic caricature.

Yash Dayal, a fast bowler for the Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat Titans, has distanced himself from a social media post containing an Islamophobic cartoon, claiming that neither the post nor the accompanying apology “were done by me.”

The original Instagram post was deleted, but not before screenshots were extensively disseminated and discussed on social media. Not long after, the account posted, “Guy’s [sic] apologies for the story; it was just posted by accident. Please don’t propagate hate. I have reverence for all communities and societies.

Later, he issued the following statement: “There were two stories posted on my Instagram account today, neither of which were my work. I have notified the authorities because I believe that my account is being hacked and used for posting. I’m attempting to reclaim complete control over my Instagram account. I respect all communities, and the image that was shared today does not reflect my genuine beliefs.”

Dayal, 26, has been playing representative cricket since 2018, when he made his senior debut for Uttar Pradesh. However, he became a household name for unfavorable reasons on April 9, this year, when Rinku Singh of the Kolkata Knight Riders hit him for five consecutive sixes off the final five balls of a match to chase an improbable target.

He did not play for the Titans again for more than a month, but he did play two more games as the Titans reached the tournament final, which they lost to the Chennai Super Kings. Overall, Dayal’s season was forgettable, as he took two wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 11.78.

Yash Dayal, who the Titans acquired prior to the 2022 IPL season, played in nine games during the team’s run to the championship, taking 11 wickets while maintaining an economy rate of 9.0.