New Zealand and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Rachin Ravindra took a bloody blow on his head in the first game of the tri-series against Pakistan in Lahore last week. Ravindra busted his forehead trying to field a ball at mid-wicket at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and was forced to miss New Zealand’s second match against South Africa at the same venue on Monday.
Ravindra lost sight of the ball under the floodlights glare in Lahor, suffering a serious injury that left him bloodied on the field. While some members of Pakistan’s cricketing fraternity acknowledged potential issues with the venue’s LED lights, others dismissed concerns, instead attributing the injury to Ravindra’s misjudgment.
It’s always heartbreaking to see a player suffer an injury, especially someone as talented and promising as Rachin Ravindra We can only hope for his swift and complete recovery, and that he returns to the field stronger than ever. #RachinRavindra #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/48EZ8OJhlY
— Amir Hussain (@its_amir__) February 9, 2025
Former Pakistan captain and opener Salman Butt was among those who downplayed the criticism directed at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He also dismissed discussions about relocating the ICC event to another country as baseless.
“There’s no point explaining to people who don’t want to understand. These are modern LED lights, and they function just fine. If New Zealand players could hit sixes off deliveries bowled at nearly 150 kph, were the lights not working then? A fielder positioned 70 meters away failed to take the catch due to his own misjudgment. He’s a fine fielder, but maybe his leg slipped, leading to the injury,” Butt was quoted as saying on a local news channel.
Ravindra, who turned out for MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in 2024, was bought back for Rs 4 crore via the RTM option in the IPL 2025 mega auction last year.
A Pakistani news anchor echoed similar sentiments, referencing the temporary floodlight failure during the India vs England 2nd ODI in Cuttack, which briefly halted play.
“Just like past claims that Pakistan isn’t ready to host a tournament of this scale, I ask those critics—what about Barabati Stadium? That’s an established venue, yet issues happened there too. These incidents are part of the game. Just because Rachin was hit doesn’t mean PCB is responsible,” he stated.
However, some believe the PCB may not be prepared to host an event as significant as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which gets underway on February 19.
“We don’t even have the funds. Whatever maintenance is done on the stadiums comes from state associations,” former Pakistan cricketer Tanvir Ahmed felt.
Adding to the debate, Shoaib Mohammad, son of Pakistan great Hanif Mohammad, pointed out an interesting observation. He suggested that New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell also seemed to struggle with visibility under the floodlights before Ravindra’s injury.
“Absolutely. Even before Rachin’s incident, I noticed Daryl Mitchell had difficulty spotting the ball while fielding. When he took a routine catch, his expression indicated he didn’t see it clearly,” Shoaib explained.
“If Mitchell faced the same issue, something is off. The placement of the floodlights is a technical matter. Rachin was at deep square leg, positioned directly in front of a light. Typically, floodlights aren’t installed at that angle in a stadium. The glare might be causing players to lose sight of the ball,” he added.
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