Cricket: “Pakistani fans threw spike at me in Peshawar, it could’ve hit my eye,” Irfan Pathan shares his ordeal

New Delhi: Former Indian fast bowler Irfan Pathan has expressed his frustration with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). During a commentary stint for the India-Bangladesh match, Pathan revealed, “Pakistani fans in Peshawar had thrown a spike at me during a match. It hit me just below my eye, and it could have entered my eye.”

Pathan further urged PCB to focus on their own issues before raising concerns about Indian spectators. This incident occurred during a crucial India-Pakistan match in Ahmedabad on October 14, where some Pakistani players faced religious chants from the stands. PCB had filed a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding this matter, but the complaint was dismissed.

Pathan recounted the incident when he said, “I was performing well in front of the Pakistan crowd in Peshawar, and then someone from the stands threw a spike at me, hitting just below my eye. The match paused for about 10 minutes, but we didn’t make a big issue out of it. We decided that the game was going well, so we carried on. We didn’t say anything against the fans because we knew that if we paid attention to them, it would distract us from the match, and we wouldn’t perform well. The spike could have hit my eye, but we’ve never talked about it until today.”

Pathan was providing commentary in Hindi during the India-Bangladesh match when he shared this story. PCB had raised concerns over Indian spectators’ behavior during the India-Pakistan match in Ahmedabad on October 14. During the match, Pakistan’s innings ended with just 191 runs on the board. India successfully chased down the target of 192 runs, losing only three wickets in 30.3 overs.

In a recent development, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) management committee chairman, Zakar Ashraf, has lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding certain incidents that occurred during a match. The exact nature of the complaint is not yet known, but it is believed to be related to the alleged misconduct of fans and/or players.

This latest development comes at a time when the PCB is facing a number of challenges, including financial difficulties, poor on-field performance, and internal squabbles. It remains to be seen how the board will navigate these challenges under Ashraf’s leadership.