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A fan was dragged out of the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, allegedly for carrying an Indian flag, adding to the ongoing controversy surrounding Pakistan's hosting of the ICC Champions Trophy, which is already being scrutinized for organizational shortcomings. On Monday, security personnel reportedly detained and assaulted a man for waving an Indian flag during a match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
A video has gone viral on social media showing a fan carrying an Indian flag being pulled away by security guards at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore during a Champions Trophy 2025 match. Two men, who appeared to be from Pakistan's security team, allegedly grabbed the Indian flag and dragged the fan away during the match between Australia and England on Saturday, February 22.
Champions Trophy 2025 Controversy in Lahore:
The incident most likely happened during the Champions Trophy match between Australia and England, when spectators wearing black pants, and a black jacket, and aviators were spotted in the crowd with the Indian flag. In the footage that went viral, two officials were seen yelling at the man and pulling him from the arena.
However, there has been no indication as to why the security staff reacted the way they did. As of yet, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not responded to this footage. The identity of the individual remains unclear. Some claim he is Indian, but others believe he is a Pakistani national who backs the Men in Blue.
Pakistan has lost back-to-back games to India and New Zealand, dropping them to the bottom of Group A. Since their final match against Bangladesh, who have also been eliminated, is merely a formality, the team captained by Muhammad Rizwan has already been eliminated from the tournament. This is a major setback for Pakistani cricket, which has long suffered from inconsistent play, particularly in ICC tournaments.
As the Champions Trophy goes on, Pakistan's co-hosting role is still being scrutinized. The nation's hopes to bring international cricket back to its territory have been clouded by the flag-related incidents and the team's lackluster withdrawal. For the time being, everyone's attention is on the semifinals and if Pakistan can resolve the off-field issues endangering its athletic aspirations.
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