South African cricketer Hashim Amla has said he was deeply hurt by Australian commentator Dean Jones calling him a "terrorist" but had forgiven the former middle-order batsman.

"I am a human being as well and it deeply hurt me when I heard that Dean Jones called me a terrorist", Amla said on his return to South Africa after a two-Test series against Sri Lanka [Images] in Colombo.

He was not included in the one-day team to play in the triangular series involving Sri Lanka and India. The batsman, who lives in the town of Tongaat about 40 km north of here, said his teammates rallied to his side when news broke of the "insulting statement."

Amla confirmed that Jones had spoken to him after the incident and he had forgiven the former Australian Test cricketer.

He said on Thursday that he had no hard feelings because as a Muslim he had been taught to "forgive and forget."

"What's taken place has happened and we just have to be big enough to get on with life. I got a bright future in cricket and that's what I want to concentrate on. "I don't want to get involved in controversies," said the player of Indian origin whose forefathers came to South Africa from Gujarat.