IND vs PAK: Pakistan team director Arthur slams BCCI after Ahmedabad clash

Mickey Arthur slammed the BCCI for not allowing the Pakistani fans for the match and for Pakistani music to be played inside the stadium in Ahmedabad during India-Pakistan World Cup clash

It wasn’t a great outing for Pakistan in the World Cup match against India at Ahmedabad. They were beaten comprehensively. However, for Pakistan’s team director Mickey Arthur, the more pressing issue became the absence of Pakistan fans and he termed the event as more like a BCCI one than an ICC. 

"Look, I'd be lying if I said it didn't,” Arthur told the media when he was asked if it seemed like it was not like an ICC event. “It didn't seem like an ICC event to be brutally honest. It seemed like a bilateral series; it seemed like a BCCI event. I didn't hear 'Dil Dil Pakistan' coming through the microphones too often tonight,” the former coach turned team director added after Pakistan were thrashed by 7 wickets by India. 

'Dil Dil Pakistan' is a popular song sung by the famous group Vital Signs fronted by Junaid Jamshed.

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However, Arthur went on to say that he could not use the absence of the Pakistan crowd and support as an excuse for his team’s utterly disappointing showing in the match where they were bowled out for 191. 

"I'm not going to use that as an excuse because for us it was about living the moment, it was about the next ball and it was about how we were going to combat the Indian, the Indian players tonight," said the 55-year-old. 

ANI quoted a BCCI official mocking Arthur for his allegations. "No harm in playing Dil Dil Pakistan. But do tell us when would it be played? When Babar was bowled or when Rizwan got dismissed? Or when Rohit hit Shaheen for a six. You can only play it for fans and there were no fans.” said the official seeking anonymity.