Lancashire County Cricket Club has issued an apology after a fan was ejected from Old Trafford during the recent England-India Test match for refusing to cover his Pakistan team jersey.
The incident involved Farooq Nazar, who shared a video on social media showing security staff asking him to cover his green Pakistan cricket shirt—a replica of the national limited-overs jersey. When Nazar refused, he was escorted out of the stadium by police officers.
According to Lancashire’s official statement, the decision to remove him was not based on his attire alone, but on his “unacceptable behaviour directed towards the stewarding team” after repeated requests.
The club has since conducted an internal review and apologised for “any upset and offence caused,” adding that it would review procedures for similar situations in the future.
Background & Club’s Explanation
Lancashire explained that their approach was shaped by an earlier incident on the Saturday of the same Test, when a group of fans waved a Pakistan flag near Indian supporters, sparking tensions. In that case, stewards were able to de-escalate the situation by respectfully requesting the fans to put the flag away—which they did without issue.
“In light of this context, our team adopted a precautionary, safety-first approach on Sunday,” said Lancashire.
“A stand supervisor politely asked the individual to cover his shirt in the interest of his own safety and to avoid any potential escalation. Despite several courteous requests, the individual declined to comply.”
ECB and Wider Context
ECB CEO Richard Gould acknowledged the incident, adding that Nazar was already known to the board from previous years. He noted that the matter had been referred to the Cricket Regulator for further review.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have affected cricket relations for years, with the two sides not having played a bilateral series since 2012–13. The strain has recently deepened due to a brief military skirmish in May, affecting everything from Test series planning to participation in multi-nation events.
Earlier this week, these strained relations also impacted a legends tournament in Birmingham, where an Indian veterans’ team refused to face Pakistan, forfeiting both a group match and a semifinal clash.
As for the Old Trafford incident, Lancashire’s apology comes with a promise to revisit crowd management strategies to ensure inclusivity while maintaining safety.
