Pakistan U19 side mistaken for asylum seekers by protestors trounce England in first ODI

Cricket Meets Headlines: Pakistan U19 Toured by Mistake

Bit of a wild situation coming out of Portsmouth yesterday, folks. The Pakistan U19 squad, holed up at the Marriott Hotel as their base for the ODI series vs England U19, found themselves at the centre of an unexpected drama.

A masked group of around 40 protesters gathered outside the hotel after reports circulated that asylum seekers were being housed there. The catch? These weren't asylum seekers — they were a bunch of young cricketers preparing for their series.

Tensions in the area had already been simmering after clashes between police and protesters on Sunday, following a small boat landing near the city. Local Reform councillor George Madgwick jumped in to sort things out, ringing the hotel and then walking out to the crowd. His message? "You've got the wrong guys, it's a cricket club." The protesters cleared out within minutes. Madgwick told The Guardian it was a "massively unfortunate incident" and noted the coach was remarkably understanding throughout.

Meanwhile, on the pitch — the boys delivered.

Pakistan U19 put the cricket world on notice, smashing England U19 by 177 runs in the first Youth ODI at Arundel to take a 10-0 lead (that last bit was a typo in the original — it's a 1-0 series lead). Next up: Guildford on Sept 12, then a two-game finish at Wormsley on Sept 14 and 16.

The ECB has reportedly reached out to the PCB to check on the team's wellbeing and is reviewing security arrangements. A reminder that these are just young lads doing what they love — cricket. Hope they can focus on the game now.

Game on, everyone. 🏏

Source: Wisden