Two years have passed since Hashim Amla was called a 'terrorist' live on air by Dean Jones and although he forgave the Aussie cricketer-turned-commentator within hours of the gaffe, the South African batsman says the hurt caused by the remark still lingers on.
"It did hurt. When somebody calls you something like that you don't say 'Thank you!' That's not the thing to do," Amla told The Guardian.
Amla said although Jones apologised on the same night but the words that he used -- 'Sorry, mate, I didn't mean for it to come out on air...' -- suggested that the Australian star would have had no qualms calling him a terrorist had the mike been switched off.
But Amla says he harbours no grudge against Jones as the entire episode helped clear misunderstandings on Islam and its followers.
"When a guy apologises, even if it's that kind of apology, who is to judge but the Almighty? And if it prompts another person to make an effort to find what Islam means, then a lot of prejudices will be blown away," he said.
Recalling the incident, Amla said when he was told about it he simply laughed it off at first thinking friends were playing a prank on him.
"A friend of mine texted me and said, 'Listen there's a big thing back home, one of the commentators called you a terrorist.' I thought he was kidding. So I sent back a message saying 'Stop messing around'," he said.
"But when I went down for supper the manager told me what Dean Jones said. He said Cricket SA had already released a statement. I said, 'OK, cool'," he added.
Amla said he realised the enormity of the incident only after Jones personally called up to apologise.
