PCB complains to ICC for regarding inappropriate crowd behaviour during the India vs Pakistan World Cup match.
The controversy surrounding the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 shows no signs of abating, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the unruly conduct of the crowd during the match. The game, which took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14, witnessed Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan being subjected to disrespectful behavior by certain sections of the crowd in attendance.
Following the conclusion of the match, Mickey Arthur, the team director of Pakistan, expressed his disappointment at the lack of support for his side in the world’s largest stadium. After a few days, the PCB decided to take action, officially filing a complaint with the ICC. The Pakistan board has also raised concerns over delays in the issuance of visas for Pakistani journalists and the absence of a clear visa policy for Pakistani fans attending the event.
The PCB shared information about these complaints on their official platform, stating, “The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged another formal protest with the ICC over delays in visas for Pakistani journalists and the absence of a visa policy for Pakistan fans for the ongoing World Cup 2023. The PCB has also filed a complaint regarding inappropriate conduct targeted at the Pakistan squad during the India vs Pakistan match held on 14 October 2023.”
During the match, Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, was jeered during the toss, and after the game, a viral video depicted the crowd chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram (Hail Lord Ram!)’ as Rizwan walked back to the pavilion. Mickey Arthur voiced his disapproval of the crowd’s behavior, describing the match as a ‘BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) event’ rather than an ‘ICC event.’ He also highlighted the absence of the song ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ during the game.