[Watch] Spectator carrying Palestine flag invades pitch amid ‘Free Free Palestine’ chants during England vs Pakistan 2nd T20I
A spectator breached the security protocols and invaded the pitch with the Palestine flag during the second T20I between England and Pakistan at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Saturday, May 25. It was followed by ‘Free Free Palestine’ chants from a section of the crowd. The spectator was immediately taken off the ground by the security.
The message comes amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war in Gaza. On Sunday, May 26, at least 10 people, including children, were killed in Gaza after a drone strike hit a school used as a shelter.
The Free Palestine Movement is a Palestinian Syrian armed movement and community organization that supports the Ba’athist government of Syria. The organization opposes the existence of Israel.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Australia’s Usman Khawaja have also supported the Freedom movement.
Watch the latest video from Edgbaston below:
England beat Pakistan by 23 runs in the second T20I
A clinical all-round performance helped England beat Pakistan by 23 runs at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Saturday.
Asked to bat first, England put up 183/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Jos Buttler led from the front, scoring 84 runs off 51 balls in an innings laced with three sixes and eight boundaries. Will Jacks and Jonny Bairstow also chipped in with 37 (23) and 21 (18), respectively.
Shaheen Afridi was the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan, returning with figures of 3/36, while Imad Wasim and Haris Rauf bagged two wickets apiece.
In response, the Men in Green were bundled out for 160 in 19.2 overs. They got off to the worst possible start as openers Mohammed Rizwan and Saim Ayubs departed early.
Fakhar Zaman and captain Babar Azam got starts by scoring 45 (21) and 32 (26) but failed to take the team past the finish line. Iftikhar Ahmed and Imad Wasim chipped in with 23 (17) and 22 (13), respectively.
Reece Topley starred with the ball for England, finishing with figures of 3/41, while Moeen Ali and Jofra Archer bagged two wickets each.
The two teams will next lock horns in the third T20I at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Tuesday, May 28.
England currently lead the four-match series 1-0, with the first game being abandoned without a ball being bowled.