Days after a spectator was asked to leave from Old Trafford after he did not cover his Pakistan team t-shirt during the fourth India vs England Test, Lancashire have apologised for the incident. The club undertook an internal investigation and stated that a different incident of tension between some Indian and Pakistani fans at the ground influenced their handling of the situation with Farooq Nazar, the man who was ejected.
India Vs England Tests: Lancashire Apologise, Days After Removing Pakistan Fan From Old Trafford
The spectator, Farooq Nazar, was asked to cover his green shirt, a replica of the traditional Pakistan green limited-overs jersey. Nazar refused, following which he was taken away by police officers and asked to leave the stadium
"Firstly, we wish to make it clear that there was no intention to remove the individual simply for wearing a Pakistan cricket shirt," a statement by the club read, ESPNcricinfo reported. "The approach taken was informed by an incident on Saturday (July 26, 2025), during which a group of supporters waved a Pakistan national flag, leading to tensions with nearby Indian fans.
"In that case, our stewards were able to de-escalate the situation by respectfully asking the individuals to put the flag away, which they did without hesitation. In light of this context, our team adopted a precautionary, safety-first approach on Sunday.
"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 from the supervisor and the response team, the individual repeatedly declined to comply," the statement added.
Nazar had posted a video on social media, showing how it all unfolded. The Lancashire security guard said he had been sent by "control" to ask for the shirt to be covered. Nazar refused. He was eventually taken away by police officers and "asked to leave the stadium by stewards and police officers due to unacceptable behaviour directed towards the stewarding team," the statement further mentioned.
Lancashire apologised for "any upset and offence caused which was not intended and will review its procedures for handling similar situations in the future".
Bilateral relations between India and Pakistan have significantly worsened since the cross-border military conflict, with a huge spill-over effect to sports. In the latest instance, the India Champions twice refused to play their Pakistani counterparts in two games of the World Championship of Legends, forfeiting the semi-final at Edgbaston.
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