Indian fans who were at the Edgbaston stadium supporting their team in the ongoing fifth Test against England were allegedly victims of racism from the English fans on Day 4 of the match. A number of allegations were made on social media on Monday evening after stumps, and these claims were highlighted by former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq, who said these were 'disappointing to read'.
One fan, in conversation with Sky Sports, spoke about the incidents that took place. What began as 'good-natured banter' became 'intimidating' an hour and a half before the close of play. "It got to the point where they were pointing at us, and looking at us, and making offensive gestures," they said.
The fan revealed that they had reported the news to the stewards but 'rather than take action, they just told us to sit in our seats'. The Indians did not see any action from the stewards, despite pointing out the perpetrators. The fan said he had not experienced anything like this in a long time.
Meanwhile, the ECB expressed their concern at these allegations of racial abuse, and also posted their apologies in a statement on their official Twitter account. "We are very concerned to hear reports of racist abuse at today's Test match," the statement read. "We are in contact with colleagues at Edgbaston, who will investigate.
"There is no place for racism in cricket," they added.
To recap, England are in pole position to snatch an important victory over India in the ongoing Test. The side needs just 119 runs, with in-form batters Jonny Bairstow (72) and Joe Root (76) standing strong at the crease. They will also be followed by the likes of skipper Ben Stokes and Sam Billings.
A loss for India will snatch a series victory from right under their noses. But, if rain does cause a major delay in the proceedings, then this might work in India's favour as England will then find it tough to score the 119 runs.
The ongoing Test is a continuation of the five-match Test series that kicked off in 2021. India has won two of the four matches, with the third match washed out by rain.
