- Wasim Akram verbally abused a fan
- Later involved in a heated confrontation.
- Security has been tightened in Perth
Security will be increased at Perth’s Optus Stadium after commentator Wasim Akram was harassed by a cricket fan for almost an hour on Saturday.
The Pakistani legend was reportedly trying to do his cross for Indian broadcaster Star when he suffered the sustained abuse.
Akram had earlier in the day signed an autograph for the youngster, but the fan continued to abuse the beloved cricket star.
The man was outside the field after the match when Akram left to get a taxi and an argument ensued between the pair.
The man was removed by security. It is unknown if he was intoxicated.
Cricket officials have indicated that the abuse was not racist, but have confirmed that security will be tightened for the remaining days of the Test.
Cricket legend Wasim Akram was harassed by a cricket fan for almost an hour on Saturday
Akram (pictured with Ravi Shastri earlier this year) suffered sustained verbal abuse
Cricket Australia does not want a repeat of the incident and has confirmed it will now have more security around commentators performing live crosses on the field.
In addition, commentators have also had the option of being picked up in cars within the venue.
Meanwhile, new master blaster Yashasvi Jaiswal is propelling India to a famous victory in Perth after smashing a brilliant hundred in his first Test in Australia.
After being dismissed for a duck in the first innings, the 22-year-old star has caused Australia major pain as India advanced to 1-275 at lunch on the third day of the first Border-Gavaskar Test at the Optus Stadium .
India leads by 321 runs and will try to make Australia play all day in the Perth sun, with the temperature expected to reach 35 degrees.
Jaiswal (141*) and KL Rahul (77), who was only called up to the Indian team because captain Rohit Sharma was on paternity leave, put on 201 runs, the highest opening partnership by an Indian pair in Australia.
The duo eclipsed the previous mark of 191, set by Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth at the SCG in 1986.
Jaiswal, who grew up in the slums of India, reached his fourth Test century early on Sunday when he bowled Josh Hazlewood over fine leg for six.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is propelling India to a famous victory in Perth
Australia are heading for their first Test loss at Optus Stadium since it opened in 2018.
The southpaw triumphantly raised his hands in the air before hugging Rahul.
Despite two Test centuries in India and another outside the struggling West Indies, doubts remained over how Jaiswal would perform in Australian conditions.
But he has excelled on a pace-friendly Perth pitch that has undoubtedly become easier to bat on after 17 wickets fell on a chaotic opening day.
Jaiswal went for lunch alongside Devdutt Padikkal (25*), who also bowed out in the first innings and is playing only his second Test.
With Australia closing in on their first Test defeat at Optus Stadium since it opened in 2018, and only their second overall loss in Perth against India, Pat Cummins’ side will have to defy history.
The last time Australia recovered from a 1-0 deficit and came back to win a Test series was in the 1997 Ashes in England.
Australia last won a Border-Gavaskar series in 2014-15, and India has held the trophy since 2017.
This has been a surprising turnaround for India, who arrived in Australia fresh from a historic 3-0 home defeat at the hands of New Zealand.
Mitchell Starc (1-79) took the only wicket of Australia’s innings, looking frustrated even after removing Rahul when the Indian right-hander was caught behind.
Even receiving the second new ball just before lunch did not help Australia make any significant progress.
The Australians suffered a woeful 104 in their first innings, playing back to India’s 150 after stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah (5-30) bowled superbly to enhance his already stellar reputation in Australia.