New Delhi: A cricket fan found himself in the massive controversy at the Sheffield Shield final after being denied entry for wearing a “free Imran Khan” T-shirt. The authorities later changed their decision, calling it a humanitarian issue.
The incident happened during the Sheffield Shield final match between Victoria and South Australia at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Thursday, where Luke Brown was initially asked by the authorities to cover his T-shirt before entering the venue.
The authorities believed that it was making a political statement related to jailed former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, which would violate the entry rules set by Cricket Australia.
After the incident, Luke Brown said that he was surprised by the decision but understood the argument, as the authorities have to deal with other situations. He further added that the cricket fraternity should be getting behind Imran Khan.
“I was surprised. I understand the argument that they have to deal with other situations, so it’s easier for them to apply a blanket rule. They were very nice. I can see why they made that call, but I think it’s the wrong one. The cricket world should be getting behind him. It’s up to them how they enforce their rules, but if they’re going to do this, then it puts a bigger onus on them to do more on other fronts to mobilize the cricket public to support Imran Khan,” he said.
‘We believe this is a humanitarian issue’: Cricket Australia spokesperson
Cricket Australia later reviewed the issue and said that support for Imran Khan should not be treated as political, as this is a humanitarian issue.
“Given the widespread concern in the cricket community for Imran Khan’s welfare, we believe this is a humanitarian issue and will act accordingly,” a CA spokesperson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The 1992 World Cup-winning Pakistan captain, Imran Khan, is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on corruption charges, and reports of his deteriorating health have caused major concern in the cricketing world.