An aircraft with the message “Release Imran Khan” flew over New York’s Nassau County during the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match on Sunday.
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, was arrested on August 5, 2023, and faces charges in about 200 cases.
The plane carrying the banner captured the attention of over 30,000 fans at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium as India began its innings against Pakistan in the highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2024 match.
Political messages on private planes during cricket matches have been a recurdring issue for the ICC. These aircraft provide activists with free publicity without any cost.
During the 2019 World Cup in England, similar messages regarding Palestine and Kashmir were frequently seen over stadiums, especially during major matches. Despite ICC’s efforts to prevent such disruptions and keep politics out of cricket, they were unable to do so, as the UK Government did not close the airspace.
