Hi Prem,

I am writing this letter after reading your coverage of the 2nd game in the Sahara Cup.

I was a spectator in Grandstand 4 on that particular day, not far from Stand 3, actually, about seven feet away, where the action occured.

Inzamam, though ridiculed and made fun of, was in no way threatened, as you say in your report. In fact, at the end of an over I saw one of the Pakistan reserve players carrying a bat and walking towards Stand 3. Meanwhile, Inzamam ran towards Stand 3. All of us thought that he was coming there to take up his fielding position. But he continued running, took the bat from the Pakistan reserve player, ran up the stand and physically asaulted the spectator.

Initially, most of us were stunned, it took some time for reality to sink in. Then I saw inzamam being restrained by some of the organisers and security staff. He was pulled back to the ground, but even then he wanted to break loose and run back again to the stand to assault the spectator.

The spectator in question was indeed calling Inzamam a 'potato' and other comments implying that he was overweight. Here, I would like to mention that even other Indian players were also made fun of, but at no point did they take law into their own hands. For example, Kambli was called names, so was Azhar.

I do agree with you, and I was frankly surprised at, the intensity with which some of the spectators were passing comments on the players, but for most part it was purely for a few laughs (though I myself did not like that kind of behaviour).

The assault on the spectator was well planned, in terms of a Pakistan reserve player bringing out a bat on the instructions of Inzamam, and his run towards the stand coinciding with the arrival of the bat brought out by his team member.

I am pretty sure that by now you must have read some of the local newspapers which I think have rightly covered the incident and have stated things correctly as they had occured. One sports editor has even questioned the suspension of Inzamam for only two games as a joke, and said that he deserves more than that.

I am an avid reader of your coverage and also of rediff india for its excellent coverage of all news and events not only related to sports but for all other news also.

But today, I am a bit dissapointed that you have not condemed the wrongful action that took place and the distorted coverage of the incident. I think for once you have got things mixed up.

Suresh Ramachandran

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