The head of England's Professional Cricketers' Association has said Moeen Ali should take it as a "positive" that he was booed by large sections of the crowd during England's three-run Twenty20 win over India at Birmingham's Edgbaston ground on Sunday.
Ali's father, Munir Ali, is convinced his Birmingham-born son was targeted because of his Muslim faith and Pakistani heritage, with police treating it as a "non-crime hate related incident" after a complaint from a spectator. But Angus Porter, the chief executive of England's Professional Cricketers Association, said Tuesday he hoped there was no fall-out from Munir Ali's comments.
"His dad offered his view sincerely and I hope it doesn't stoke the fire because he was just standing up for his boy," Porter said.
"There is an element of taking it as a compliment. You are more likely to boo someone when you think they are someone to be feared.
"Take it as as a positive, you'd rather be booed than ignored."
Porter added he would be surprised if abuse had come Ali's way from India fans.
"It shouldn't happen but I have always found the Indians to be respectful and it is a little bit surprising in that respect."
Some players become 'hate figures' with crowds because of incidents involving their opponents, such as the dust-up between England's James Anderson and India's Ravindra Jadeja in the Test series that preceded the limited overs matches between the two countries.
As a result, both players were jeered throughout India's tour by spectators. But there appeared to be no such 'trigger' for the booing of Birmingham-born Ali.
Police are unable to take further action without a complaint from off-spinning all-rounder Ali who does not want to pursue the issue after taking one for 31 and being out for a duck in Sunday's match.
"We are very disappointed with what happened. It should have been a special day," Munir Ali told the ESPNcricinfo website.
"Moeen was playing for his country in the city of his birth. It is the city I was born in and the city my mother was born in. The whole family was looking forward to it and we thought he would receive a warm welcome.
"Instead he was abused from the start. He was abused because he is a Muslim and because of his Pakistan heritage. That is disgraceful.
"There is still a problem with racism between Asian communities in the UK."
