Pakistan team manager Rehan-ul-Haq has spoken about the hostile atmosphere during his team's 2023 ODI World Cup match against India in Ahmedabad. He recalled hearing around 1,500 abuses ("gaaliyan") from spectators while walking down the stadium stairs, and said Rohit Sharma's sixes made things worse.
Rehan was part of Pakistan's team management during the tournament. In his account, he described how the crowd surrounded the staircase leading down from the stands, and how the narrow passage meant every comment reached him clearly.
Ahmedabad Crowd Abuse: What Rehan-ul-Haq Said
Rehan described the Ahmedabad experience as the most hostile crowd he had ever faced. While recounting the incident, he said the abuse came from spectators packed around the stairs as he made his way down.
"Then we went to Ahmedabad, and I had never seen such a hostile crowd in my life." — Rehan-ul-Haq, Pakistan team manager
The figure he gave — around 1,500 abuses — is his own estimate of what he heard in that passage. He also pointed to the narrow staircase as the reason the comments were so easy to hear.
Rohit Sharma's Sixes Made It Worse
Rehan said Rohit Sharma's sixes during the match made the situation worse. The Indian captain's big hitting added to the pressure on the Pakistan side, and the crowd's reaction grew louder with each shot.
- Rehan-ul-Haq was part of Pakistan's team management at the 2023 ODI World Cup
- He recalled hearing around 1,500 abuses on the stadium stairs in Ahmedabad
- Spectators surrounded the staircase, and the narrow passage made the comments clearly audible
- He said Rohit Sharma's sixes made the atmosphere worse
- He called it the most hostile crowd he had seen in his life
Our Take: Why This Story Matters
To put it plainly, this is a story about what players and team staff face off the field, not just on it. Rehan-ul-Haq's account is his personal recollection, and the number he gives is his own estimate — but the picture he paints of a packed staircase and non-stop abuse is a serious one.
In our view, cricket's biggest rivalry should be intense on the field and respectful in the stands. Fans can cheer loudly for their team without surrounding a rival team's staff on a staircase. If a team manager walks away remembering "1,500 gaaliyan" instead of the cricket, something has gone wrong with the match-day experience.
Rohit Sharma's sixes are part of the game — that is what fans come to watch. But the abuse is not. Boards and stadium security need to make sure the walk down the stairs is safe and civil for everyone, no matter which team they represent.
For readers, the takeaway is simple: this is Rehan-ul-Haq's version of events, shared publicly by him. It adds a human side to one of the most watched matches of the 2023 World Cup — and a reminder that how fans behave matters as much as the result.
