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Lancashire Face Backlash; Apologise For Removing Pakistan Fan During IND vs ENG Test

Rajgeeta Yadav

Lancashire Apologises [Source: AFP]Lancashire Apologises [Source: AFP]

A few days after a controversial incident during the 4th Test match between India and England at Old Trafford in Manchester, Lancashire County Cricket Club has publicly apologized to a Pakistan cricket fan who was removed from the stadium.

The fan, Farooq Nazar, came to watch the match wearing a Pakistan cricket jersey. A security guard asked him to cover his shirt, saying he had been instructed by his control team to do so. When Farooq refused, he was eventually escorted out of the ground by police.

Why Was The Fan Asked to Cover the Shirt?

Lancashire later explained that this action wasn’t simply because of the Pakistan shirt, but because of an earlier incident that had caused tensions between India and Pakistan fans during the same Test series. A group of fans waved a Pakistan flag, which led to some heated moments with Indian supporters. 

Thankfully, the stewards were able to calm the situation down by politely asking the fans to put the flag away and they did so without any argument.

In an official statement as reported by ESPN, Lancashire said:

“Firstly, we wish to make it clear that there was no intention to remove the individual simply for wearing a Pakistan cricket shirt." 

"The approach taken was informed by an incident on Saturday, during which a group of supporters waved a Pakistan national flag, leading to tensions with nearby Indian fans. In that case, our stewards were able to de-escalate the situation by respectfully asking the individuals to put the flag away, which they did without hesitation."

“In light of this context, our team adopted a precautionary, safety-first approach on Sunday. A stand supervisor politely asked the individual to cover his shirt in the interest of his own safety and to avoid any potential escalation. Despite several courteous requests from the supervisor and the response team, the individual repeatedly declined to comply."

They added that their main goal was to avoid any further conflict and ensure everyone’s safety. So, a supervisor asked Farooq to cover his shirt to prevent any potential problems.

However, when Farooq repeatedly refused, and allegedly showed unacceptable behavior toward the staff, the police had to step in.

This situation happened during a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are already high. After the Pahalgam terror attack a few months ago and the military responses that followed, both countries have been on edge. Even so, the Asia Cup 2025 was officially announced and India are scheduled to play Pakistan on September 14 in the UAE. The tournament will run from September 9 to 28.

Many people felt that, given the ongoing conflict, this high-stakes match or even the entire tournament, should have been canceled or postponed. But the Asian Cricket Council decided to move forward with the games, which has drawn criticism from fans and critics alike.