T20 World Cup: Afghanistan In Fan Plea After Crowd Chaos, ICC Asks ECB For "Thorough Investigation"
NDTV
Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi pleaded for T20 World Cup calm after thousands of ticketless fans tried to storm the Dubai stadium for the clash against Pakistan.
Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi pleaded for T20 World Cup calm on Friday after thousands of ticketless fans tried to storm the Dubai Stadium for the high-profile clash against neighbours Pakistan. All tickets had been sold for the game but the chaos meant that many fans who had bought tickets were prevented from entering. Nabi asked Afghan fans to buy tickets to watch the team's remaining matches in the tournament. "For the Afghan fans, please buy a ticket and come to the stadium. Don't repeat this again. This is not good," said Nabi after his team had lost by five wickets.
The International Cricket Council apologised to ticket holders who could not enter the stadium where the final will also be staged on November 14.
"More than 16,000 tickets had been issued for tonight's game between Pakistan and Afghanistan," said an ICC statement.
"However, thousands of ticketless fans travelled to the venue and then attempted to force entry into the stadium.
"Dubai Police and security staff secured the stadium to ensure the safety of everyone inside and brought in significant additional resources to disperse the crowd and calm the situation."