Toby Marshall
Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw has found himself in the middle of controversy once again, after a video of the player engaging in a heated argument and brawl with a female, went viral on social media.
According to reports, Shaw was reportedly attacked by fans after refusing to take selfies with two individuals at an undisclosed location. The incident took place in a café at the Sahara Star hotel on Wednesday, where Shaw was having dinner with a friend.
The local police have reportedly registered a case against the miscreants, with eight people being booked for alleged extortion and unlawful assembly. The incident took place in the early hours of Thursday when Shaw and his friends were leaving the hotel in Mumbai. The attacker allegedly pelted stones at his friend’s car and broke the windshield after the cricketer refused to pose for more pictures.
According to an officer, “While they were having dinner, two people, including a woman, approached them for a selfie. The cricketer initially cooperated but the two kept harassing them for more pictures.” Shaw is said to have been attacked with a baseball bat after refusing to take more photos.
The Oshiwara Police registered a case against the accused under sections 143, 148, 149, 384, 437, 504, 506 of IPC, and have started an investigation. The incident has shocked the cricket fraternity, with several videos of the alleged brawl involving Prithvi Shaw and a fan surfacing on Twitter.
Shaw has played 5 Tests, 6 ODIs and a solitary game in the shortest format for Team India. He was included in the Indian white-ball side for the T20I series against New Zealand but did not get to play any games. However, Shaw has had trouble off the field in the past, with his most notable incident being a doping violation in 2019.
Shaw has faced trouble off the field in the past as well, although, on this occasion, it wasn’t entirely his fault. According to a media release from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Shaw had inadvertently ingested a prohibited substance, which can be commonly found in cough syrups. As a result, he was suspended for eight months from March 16 to November 15, 2019.
Shaw also failed the yo-yo test at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru ahead of the 2022 IPL. The BCCI’s prescribed minimum score on the yo-yo test was supposedly 16.5 for men, and it was learned that Shaw scored less than 15.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of cricketers in public spaces and highlights the need for greater security measures to be implemented. It is also a reminder of the pressure that athletes, especially those in the public eye, face from fans and media. While Shaw has had a troubled past off the field, the latest incident involving him is not entirely his fault, and he deserves the support of the cricket community as he navigates this challenging situation.
The preparations for the much-awaited 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League have kickstarted with a bang. Just like the previous year, the tournament will feature a total of ten teams including Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off on March 31, and cricket fans are buzzing with excitement on social media. Recently, a new rule was announced for the IPL stating that team captains will announce their playing XI only after the toss, instead of exchanging the final XI before the toss.
