Following the injury of New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has defended the lighting facilities at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. In the opening game of the current tri-nation series against Pakistan, Ravindra was struck squarely in the face while trying to make a catch, seriously injuring him. When Khushdil Shah shot the ball in his direction, the Kiwi cricketer, who was positioned at deep square leg, tried to collect it. But under the lights, he lost it, resulting in a horrific injury that left him heavily bleeding.
Ravindra had to be removed from the field right away as a result. The lighting infrastructure at the recently refurbished stadium in Lahore was criticized by some spectators and commentators after the incident.
Salman Butt on Rachin Ravindra's injury
Butt was eager to defend the ground's amenities, claiming that players from New Zealand had no trouble smashing fast deliveries for sixes while batting in the same illumination. Additionally, he said that Ravindra may have slipped or made a mistake that led to his injury.
"There's no point trying to make people understand when they don't want to. It's irrelevant. These are some of the latest LED lights that have been installed, so these are fine. When New Zealand players hit sixes off deliveries bowled at close to 150 kph, were the lights not working then? A player who was standing 70 meters away failed to take the catch because of his misjudgment. He is a fine fielder, but perhaps his leg slipped, and he got hurt,” said Butt in a show Zor ka Jor on Samaa TV Tuesday.
As the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway on February 19, New Zealand might suffer a massive blow due to Ravindra's injury. According to a recent injury report from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), he suffered a laceration to the forehead. Additionally, the board noted that Ravindra passed his initial HIA (Head Injury Assessment) and will be closely watched under HIA procedures going forward.
After convincing wins over South Africa and Pakistan, who will play for a position in the final in the final match on February 12, New Zealand has already guaranteed their place in the tri-series final.