A major controversy took place off the pitch during the Manchester Test match of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Test series. Lancashire County Cricket Club has now issued a public apology to the Pakistani fan they removed from the stadium during the fourth Test match. Farooq Nazar, a Pakistani fan, came to watch the fourth Test match at Old Trafford while wearing his Pakistan team jersey. Later, a security guard from Lancashire asked him to cover his shirt, citing that he had been asked to do it by the security team. When Nazar refused to remove his jersey then he was forcefully escorted from the stadium by the police. The move was taken to ensure the matches continue without any hassle and interruption. Also Read: “I had suicidal thoughts” - Yuzvendra Chahal Shares Post-Divorce Struggles Now, the Lancashire Club has come forward to not only issue an apology to the fan but also explain their reason that the action was taken, not because of the Pakistani jersey but because of the tension between these two countries. The official statement of Lancashire read: “[The fan was] asked to leave the stadium with stewards and police officers due to unacceptable behaviour directed towards the stewarding team. Any upset and offence caused which was not intended and will review its procedures for handling similar situations in the future.” Lancashire further explained: “Firstly, we wish to make it clear that there was no intention to remove the individual simply for wearing a Pakistan cricket shirt, The approach taken was informed by an incident on Saturday, during which a group of supporters waved a Pakistan national flag, leading to tensions with nearby Indian fans. In that case, our stewards were able to de-escalate the situation by respectfully asking the individuals to put the flag away, which they did without hesitation.” “In light of this context, our team adopted a precautionary, safety-first approach on Sunday. A stand supervisor politely asked the individual to cover his shirt in the interest of his own safety and to avoid any potential escalation. Despite several courteous requests from the supervisor and the response team, the individual repeatedly declined to comply.” The ongoing tension between India and Pakistan is already high, and such an incident will only provide fuel to the fire. The India Legends refused to play against Pakistan Legends in the World Champions League, showing their faith and respect for their country.