Cricket fan waving Indian flag removed from Lahore stadium, manhandled (WATCH)

A fan waving the Indian flag was forcefully removed from Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium during an Australia-England match. Meanwhile, a national anthem glitch angered the PCB, and India's absence from the stadium’s flag display added to the controversy.  

A day after India's dominant victory over Pakistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy, a controversy erupted in Lahore when a cricket fan waving the Indian flag was forcefully removed from the stadium during the Australia vs England match on February 22.

A viral video circulating on social media shows Pakistani security personnel dragging the individual away and confiscating the tricolor. According to reports, the man was not only detained but was also allegedly beaten by stadium security at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for displaying the Indian flag.

While the exact timing of the incident remains unclear, this wasn’t the only controversy that stirred online discussions. At the start of the match, the Indian national anthem unexpectedly played for a few seconds during the pre-game ceremony, leaving Pakistani officials furious. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) immediately sought an explanation from the International Cricket Council (ICC), which later admitted it was a technical glitch. However, the clarification failed to pacify the PCB, which demanded stricter accountability for the mistake.

This incident follows another controversy regarding India’s absence from official tournament displays at Gaddafi Stadium. Before the Champions Trophy began, flags of seven participating teams were hoisted inside the stadium—except for India's. Fans quickly pointed out the missing Indian tricolor, further fueling tensions ahead of the highly anticipated Indo-Pak cricket rivalry.

With emotions running high after India's latest triumph over Pakistan, these back-to-back incidents have only intensified the debates surrounding cricket, politics, and sportsmanship in the region.