PCB blamed for Rachin Ravindra's nasty head injury at Gaddafi Stadium

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra was injured during the first ODI of the tri-series against Pakistan on Sunday, suffering a forehead laceration after a freak accident. Ravindra was attempting to catch a slog-swept shot from Khushdil Shah off Michael Bracewell in the 37th over, but lost sight of the ball due to the floodlights. The ball struck him in the face, and he immediately began to bleed. He was quickly escorted off the field by medical staff.

 

Although New Zealand Cricket confirmed that Ravindra was "otherwise well," the incident sparked outrage among social media users, who criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and called for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reconsider Pakistan as a host for future major tournaments like the Champions Trophy.  Check India vs England 2nd ODI LIVE SCORE UPDATES and full scorecard here  Rachin blinded by LED lights at the stadium

 

 

The incident occurred as Ravindra steadied himself to make the catch, but the ball’s trajectory was obscured by the LED lights at Gaddafi Stadium. This led to him being struck in the face, and he briefly stared at the ground in a daze as blood dripped down his face. Medical staff, along with the Pakistan team doctor, rushed to his aid, and Ravindra was laid down for a few minutes before being escorted off the field with a towel covering his face. The crowd at Gaddafi Stadium showed their support with a warm round of applause. 

A tough moment on the field for Rachin Ravindra as an attempted catch turned into an unfortunate injury. ????  Get well soon, Rachin! pic.twitter.com/34dB108tpF

— FanCode (@FanCode) February 8, 2025

 

Following the injury, questions were raised about the suitability of the lighting system at the stadium. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif explained that the LED lights caused a glow that made it difficult for fielders to see the ball when it was traveling flat. New Zealand Cricket stated that Ravindra was undergoing the necessary Head Injury Assessment (HIA) and was being monitored before New Zealand's next game against South Africa on Monday.