Members of the Pakistan under-19 cricket team reported that a group of individuals entered the hotel floor where they were staying, having been misled by false rumors that a coach carrying migrants had arrived. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening at the Marriot Hotel in Cosham, Portsmouth.
Sumair Syed, chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), stated that the team members heard people knocking on their doors. He noted that the players "behaved responsibly and didn't escalate the situation." Hampshire Police attended the scene and confirmed that no offenses were committed. The group had dispersed by approximately 9:00 PM BST.
The team proceeded with their scheduled match the following day. Syed described the event as "unfortunate" and emphasized the need for security measures. He confirmed that the PCB is in communication with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which has assured that all possible steps will be taken to ensure the security of the visiting team. "This is the responsibility of the whole sport to ensure the safety, security and well-being of the visiting team," Syed said. "They are on it and we are hopeful that nothing of such sort will happen in the future."