The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief has issued a stern warning to the fan who was involved in an altercation with the team's senior cricketer Haris Rauf. The Pakistan pacer was with his wife when he had an argument with a fan, after the team's T20 World Cup 2024 exit. As the video of the incident went viral on social media, divided opinions surfaced, with some backing Rauf's reaction and others condemning it. Now, the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has also reacted to the incident, asking the fan to issue an apology or face legal action.
"Strongly condemn the appalling incident involving Haris Rauf. Such actions against our players are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Those who are involved must immediately apologise to Haris Rauf, failing which we will pursue legal action against the individual responsible." Naqvi said in a statement on social media.
Rauf himself also took to social media after seeing his video spreading like wildfire. He said: "As public figures, we are open to receiving all kinds of feedback from the public," Rauf wrote on X. "They are entitled to support or criticize us. Nevertheless, when it comes to my parent and my family, I will not hesitate to respond accordingly. It is important to show respect towards people and their families, irrespective of their professions."
Pakistan fans are quite angry having seen their team's campaign ending early. Pakistan concluded their T20 World Cup 2024 run with a three-wicket win over Ireland in Florida on Sunday, a match deemed dead rubber as India and USA, from Group A, had already advanced to the Super 8 stage.
Placed in Group A, Pakistan endured back-to-back defeats against the co-hosts USA and then to their bitter rivals, India, with the results leaving them on the brink. The Ireland vs USA washed out contest then proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Pakistan.
Babar Azam's team bounced back with two wins on the trot, but it wasn't enough to turn their horror campaign around and seal progression into the next round.