Man booked for entering ground during Bangladesh vs New Zealand match

A case was registered against a spectator who breached security and entered the field during the Champions Trophy match between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.

The intruder, identified as Abdul Qayyum from Fateh Jang, Attock, ran onto the field and hugged New Zealand batters Rachin Ravindra and Tom Latham.

Qayyum was initially seated in the Miran Bakhsh Enclosure after purchasing a Rs1,000 ticket. However, he later moved to the Yasir Arafat Enclosure and entered the field by crossing the grating.

Read: Pakistan cricket team makes low-key return to Islamabad after Champions Trophy setback

Security personnel attempted to apprehend him, but he managed to reach the players before being taken into custody.

He was also carrying a poster of a religious and political party leader at the time.

Check: Pat Cummins objects to ICC for giving India venue advantage

The New Town police station registered a case against Qayyum.

While the Pakistani authorities treated the incident as a security breach, Indian media is attempting to sensationalise the event, linking it to terrorism in an apparent effort to raise concerns over Pakistan’s ability to host international cricket.