'Threw An Iron Nail' - When Irfan Pathan Revealed An Ugly Incident From Pakistan Tour
Babar Azam in Ahmedabad at the 2023 World Cup (AP)
Irfan Pathan has expressed strong criticism against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for lodging a complaint regarding unruly crowd behavior at the Narendra Modi Stadium from their 2023 World Cup clash against India.
The former all-rounder added that the Indian team never made an issue against Pakistan’s disorderly crowd behavior during his playing days. While providing his expert World Cup 2023 analysis for Star Sports, Pathan even claimed that a fan in Pakistan once threw an iron nail near his eye.
Irfan Pathan asks Pakistan to stop making issues
Irfan Pathan made his Team India debut in late 2003 and was part of three different travelling parties to Pakistan in the first five years of his international journey. The former cricketer claimed that the Indian team always appreciated the hospitality they received in Pakistan, even though a Pakistani fan once threw an iron nail that struck under his eye.
.jpg)
Addressing PCB’s stance over semi-hostile treatment received by their players in Ahmedabad, Irfan Pathan said:
“We were playing a game in Peshawar, a fan suddenly threw an iron nail at me which struck under my eye. We never made an issue out of that and always appreciated their hospitality. Pakistan should stop making issues on crowd behavior in India.”
PCB’s complaint, regardless, was squashed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as a top official stated that the crowd displayed no signs of racism during their religious chanting.
During the India vs Pakistan World Cup 2023 match in Ahmedabad on October 14, a section of the crowd was seen booing ‘Men in Green’ skipper Babar Azam. Moreover, senior Pakistan batter Mohammad Rizwan was also subjected to certain taunts on his way back to the pavilion. The PCB took note of the team’s hostile treatment and lodged a complaint with the ICC on October 17.
Apart from being heckled by a lively crowd at a packed 132,000-seater Ahmedabad stadium, Pakistan players were also flogged around on the field by a rampaging Indian unit.
Team India, under captain Rohit Sharma, trounced their arch-rivals by seven wickets and with nearly 19 overs intact in the game. Batting first, Pakistan secured just 191 despite being poised for a big total at 155-2 at one stage. After losing their final eight wickets for just 36 additional runs, the visiting bowlers were taunted by Sharma’s run-chase assault and Shreyas Iyer’s calculated fifty.
Pakistan’s defeat to India marked their first of the 2023 World Cup, and they will now face Australia on October 20 with an aim to reboot their campaign back to winning ways.
.jpg "VK Mania!")
 "Aakash Saini")
