Ahmedabad – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially lodged a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) following what they deem as “inappropriate conduct” directed at the national squad during the highly anticipated Pakistan-India World Cup match held last week.
In a showdown that saw India triumph with a resounding seven-wicket victory on October 14, the Pakistani team was left reeling after being bowled out for a mere 191 runs in the 43rd over, as their batting line-up crumbled under the relentless pressure imposed by the Indian bowlers.
Adding to the daunting atmosphere, the stadium announcer and spectators appeared to rally exclusively for India, and the music played at the venue only fueled the fervor of the home crowd.
The Men in Green faced a chorus of boos as they took the field, particularly when their captain, Babar Azam, was speaking at the toss.
Furthermore, a widely circulated video depicted Indian fans passionately chanting “Jai Shri Ram” at Mohammad Rizwan as he walked back to the pavilion following his dismissal.
To compound matters, Pakistan fans were effectively banned from the ground due to visa-related issues, resulting in an overwhelmingly blue sea of Indian supporters filling the stadium.
Coach Mickey Arthur, in the post-match press conference, openly expressed his opinion, stating, “It didn’t seem like an ICC event, to be brutally honest. It seemed like a bilateral series; it seemed like a BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) event.”
In response to the criticism, the head of the ICC expressed confidence that India would host an “outstanding” World Cup.
In a recent statement, the PCB disclosed that they had submitted a complaint to the ICC concerning the inappropriate treatment of their players during the match. The board has also formally protested the delays in granting visas to Pakistani journalists and the absence of a visa policy for Pakistani fans attending the 50-over tournament.
While Pakistani journalists eventually obtained visas to cover the World Cup after several delays and PCB interventions, Pakistani fans have faced substantial challenges, reportedly experiencing a lack of communication between visa application centers and the Indian High Commission regarding their visa process.
Previously, the PCB had engaged the Foreign Secretary to express concerns over visa delays for Pakistani fans seeking to travel to India for the World Cup.
