Waqar Younis reveals why Inzamam had thrashed an arrogant fan in the stands in 1997

Waqar Younis has revealed why Inzamam-ul-Haq had thrashed an arrogant fan in the stands during a Sahara Cup (bilateral ODI series) match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Toronto back in 1997. The fan was reportedly hurling abuses at Inzy, Mohammad Azharuddin, and pacer Debashish Mohanty. According to Younis, Inzamam did not get angry after he was called 'Aaloo' (Potato) by the fan but it was because he had spoken ill about Azharuddin's wife (possibly model-actress Sangeeta Bijlani who was his better half back then).

'What really happened was': Waqar Younis

“Yes, there was someone calling him ‘Aaloo’. But also, what exactly happened there was someone in the crowd who was not very good to Azharuddin’s wife. I think they were just talking some rubbish and Inzi being Inzi, he didn’t really like it. And as I was mentioning, the friendship off the field between these two teams’ players was outstanding, it was amazing, they had a lot of respect for each other,” Waqar said on ‘The Greatest Rivalry’ podcast.

“And what happened because someone was really being rude to Azza’s wife and Inzi just, I don’t know what happened to be very honest, he just decided, he asked, I think Salim Malik was captain he asked Salim to move him to that fine-leg third-man region, and that’s where he went. And he just asked for the 12th man to bring the bat, and he just gave it to him, and he just ran up the stairs in the scaffolding and brought it down”, the pace legend added.

“Inzi had to suffer, Inzi had to apologise and they went to court for that particular incident and Azhar had to come out, which was very nice of Azharuddin, who had to come out and talk to that Indian guy, the guy was Indian I think, and talk to him and sort out that issue out of the court. It was sad and it was ugly what happened, but what I’m trying to say here, is you know when it comes to watching each other’s back, both teams have people or players who really love each other’s company,” the former Pakistani skipper added.

 

When Inzamam manhandled a fan in the stands

It has so happened that during the second ODI, the fan was hurling abuses at many players, and apparently the 1992 World Cup winner happened to be one of them. When Inzy was stationed at the boundary, the abuses did not stop as the mind games continued and that is when the prolific batsman decided that enough was enough and all of a sudden, he charges into the stands and starts manhandling that fan. The security officials had to intervene just before things went out of control and luckily, nothing untoward happened. 

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