The Pakistan Cricket Board has filed a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding ‘inappropriate conduct’ towards the members of the Pakistan team during its marquee World Cup fixture against India at the Narendra Modi Stadium last Saturday.
After the touring Pakistan team lost the most anticipated game of the tournament by seven wickets, multiple videos - alleging inappropriate behaviour towards the players by a certain section of fans - went viral, forcing the PCB to formally take up the matter with the ICC.
In a statement on Tuesday, the PCB also stated that it has lodged a complaint over the delay of visas provided to Pakistan journalists, and the ‘absence’ of visa policy for Pakistan fans.
“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,” it said in a statement.
Earlier, Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur felt that it was more like a bilateral series. “It didn’t seem like an ICC event, I would be pretty honest. It seemed like a bilateral series, like a BCCI event,” Arthur said after the match.
Usually, in every ICC event, fans from across the border turn up in large numbers to cheer for their team. But it was totally different this time around. “I didn’t hear ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ coming through the microphones too often. That does play a role, but I am not using that as an excuse because for us, it was about living in the moment, about the next ball and about how we would combat the Indian players tonight,” Arthur said.
Asked whether fans should have been granted a visa for the big-ticket event, Arthur said with a sheepish smile, “I don’t want to get fined just yet. I don’t want to get fined…”
Pakistan is currently in Bengaluru and will take on Australia on October 20.
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