A shadow was unexpectedly cast over Pakistan’s warm-up tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra on Wednesday, December 6, as an incident involving a racial slur occurred during the live broadcast. The unpleasant event took place right after Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood won the toss and decided to bat first. With openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq stepping onto the pitch at Manuka Oval, viewers were startled to see an additional ‘I’ appended to the abbreviation ‘PAK’ that was being broadcast—forming a derogatory term commonly used against Pakistanis and individuals from the Asian continent.
The discrepancy was showcased on the live score ticker at the bottom of the TV screen, and it did not take long for it to attract attention. Cricket journalist Danny Saeed, who works for the Australian news outlet Crikey, was one of the first to call attention to the blunder, which he did through a post on the social media platform ‘X’.
Cricket Australia, the governing body of cricket in Australia, was quick to acknowledge the misstep and promptly took steps to address the faux pas. “The graphic was an automatic feed from a data provider which had not been used previously for a Pakistan game. This was obviously regrettable, and the error we corrected manually as soon as it came to light,” Cricket Australia stated, emphasizing that it had not been an intentional act and indicating their commitment to rectifying the issue swiftly.
In the shadow of this controversy, the game itself unfolded with mixed outcomes for the Pakistani line-up. Despite the early setback off the field, Shan Masood was a beacon of resilience on it, dominating the Prime Minister’s XI bowlers with an unbeaten double century. Outside of his steadfast performance, most of the Pakistani batsmen failed to capitalize on the conditions, and wickets fell regularly throughout the day.
Former Pakistani skipper Babar Azam managed a decent knock of 40 runs, while Sarfaraz Ahmed added 41 runs to the team’s total. Shafique contributed 38 runs, but beyond these scores, there was little resistance from the Pakistani batsmen against a determined Prime Minister’s XI bowling attack.
The standout performer with the ball for the PMXI was right-arm pacer Jordan Buckingham, who put on a fantastic display of seam bowling. Buckingham clinched a five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5/80 from his 23 overs. His impressive spell included the key wickets of Imam, Babar, and Sarfaraz, and he rounded off his magnificent effort by removing Aamer Jamal and Mir Hamza.
In other cricket news, the BCCI is reportedly set to make a final call on implementing a multi-city format for the Women’s Premier League 2024 on December 9, and elsewhere, the England women’s cricket team commenced their series with a solid victory over India’s fledgling side. Meanwhile, in the Caribbean, England’s Sam Curran and the batting cohort helped their team draw level with the West Indies in Antigua.
Looking ahead, Pakistan’s cricket team is sharpening its focus on the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia to start in Perth on December 14. As they prepare for the first Test, it remains to be seen how this tour match incident and the backlash it has generated will impact the atmosphere on and off the pitch. For now, Cricket Australia’s mishap serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenge sports organizations face in promoting a culture of respect and inclusiveness, even as the world watches.