Cricket fans unite to defend Sarfaraz Ahmed against the man who harassed him on camera

No Pakistani cricket fan was happy with the outcome of last week's India-Pakistan match at the ICC World Cup, but some people are are taking their frustration to dangerous extremes.

Last night a video began circulating on social media that showed Pakistani cricket captain Sarfaraz Ahmed being verbally harassed and followed by a man in what appears to be a shopping mall in the UK. The video was actually shot by the man in question on his phone. In the video the man insults Sarfaraz Ahmed and attempts to follow him as he walks away.

Not only that, but it appears that Sarfaraz Ahmed was carrying his child at the time.

As the video began circulating commentators criticised the abuser for a gross breach of privacy and etiquette, and even attempted to notify local authorities.

Many lauded the Pakistani cricket captain for staying calm during the verbal abuse, and used the hashtag #WeSupportSarfaraz.

Thanks to the backlash, hours after the video went viral the man who recorded it released a video message apologising for his behaviour. He said that after the incident Sarfaraz Ahmed has come up to talk to him and that he had apologised to the cricket captain. He also said he had deleted the video, and that he didn't know how it had spread online.

"I am also a Pakistani, I ask for forgiveness, I didn't know the consequences of my actions would be so large," said the man.

The incident raises questions about how social media is often abused by people who don't seem to understand the psychological and material impact of online bullying. We hope the man in question learns from this - and that similar harassment doesn't impact the cricket team in future.