A fan breached the security during Match 6 of the tournament at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
A fan breached the security during Match 6 of the tournament between New Zealand and Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium as he came running onto the field to hug Rachin Ravindra.
The fan went up close to the Kiwi cricketer and hugged him before the security personnel came onto the pitch and escorted him out of the ground.
In the wake of the incident, the PCB stressed upon ensuring the safety of players and match officials, citing that it has decided to reinforce their security around the field of play at all venues.
“The PCB has taken serious note of the security breach that occurred yesterday when a spectator entered the field of play. Ensuring the safety of players and officials remains our top priority. As a responsible organisation, we have engaged with local security agencies, who have committed to increasing security personnel around the field of play at all venues and strengthening access control measures,” PCB said in a media release.
Furthermore, the PCB also revealed that the fan who invaded the pitch was arrested and presented before a court, and has been banned from entering any cricket venues in Pakistan.
“The individual involved was arrested and presented before a court of law today (Tuesday). In addition, he has been permanently banned from entering all cricket venues in Pakistan. To prevent such incidents in the future, the PCB is working closely with security agencies and venue authorities to review and reinforce security protocols,” it added.
This is the first time in 29 years that Pakistan are hosting an ICC tournament. However, India are playing their matches in Dubai under the event’s hybrid model.
Pakistan have already been knocked out of the competition after losing to New Zealand and India in Group A fixtures. The Men in Green would have remained in the final-four contention had Bangladesh defeated the Kiwis, but this was not to be.
Taking about Group B, a washout between South Africa and Australia gave both teams one point each, taking their overall tally to three points from two games. However, the Proteas are at the top of the team standings due to superior net run rate.
England and Afghanistan are the other two teams in Group B, and they will face each other on Wednesday (February 26) in Lahore. Australia will play Afghanistan in Lahore on February 28, while South Africa and England will square off in the last game in Karachi on March 1.
India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semi-finals from Group A. The semis will be played on March 4 and 5. India will play their semi-final in Dubai on March 4, while New Zealand will play their semi-final in Lahore on March 5.