NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has come out in strong support of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) amid the controversy surrounding Rachin Ravindra’s injury during the ongoing tri-series in Pakistan.
The incident occurred in the first ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where Ravindra suffered a gruesome injury while attempting a catch. The New Zealand all-rounder failed to spot the ball in the field and was struck flush on his head, leading to heavy bleeding. He had to leave the ground immediately, his face covered with a towel, while fans questioned the quality of the newly installed floodlights at the venue.
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However, Butt refuted these claims, holding Ravindra responsible for the unfortunate accident. Speaking on a local news channel, Butt said, “There’s no point trying to make people understand when they don’t want to. It’s irrelevant. These are some of the latest LED lights that have been installed, so these are fine. When New Zealand players hit sixes off deliveries bowled at close to 150 kph, were the lights not working then? A player who was standing 70 meters away failed to take the catch because of his misjudgment. He is a fine fielder, but perhaps his leg slipped, and he got hurt.”
Despite New Zealand Cricket‘s official statement confirming that Ravindra suffered a laceration on his forehead, requiring stitches, Butt maintained that the mishap was purely a result of player miscalculation rather than any fault of the stadium infrastructure.
The controversy was further highlighted when the 2nd ODI between India and England at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium witnessed a 30-minute delay due to floodlight malfunction. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) faced a similar public backlash, with the Odisha Cricket Association being asked to provide an explanation. This parallel incident raised concerns about stadium management and lighting standards across cricketing nations.