Pakistan Under-19s Mistaken-Identity Incident in Portsmouth

The Pakistan under-19 cricket team found themselves at the centre of an ugly misunderstanding in Portsmouth after a group of protesters, fuelled by false online rumours, turned up outside their hotel believing a coach of migrants had arrived.

Around 30 to 40 people gathered at the Marriot Hotel in Cosham on Tuesday evening after speculation spread on social media about the arrival of a coach carrying “foreign nationals”. The reality was far more mundane: it was the touring Pakistan under-19 side, in the country to play cricket.

According to Sumair Syed, chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), some members of the group reached the floor where the young players were staying and began knocking on doors. The squad, Syed said, kept their composure.

"The players behaved responsibly and didn't escalate the situation," he explained, outlining how the teenagers, far from home and preparing for their next match, chose calm over confrontation.

Hampshire Police attended the scene and reported that no offences had been committed. The crowd dispersed by about 21:00 BST, and the players were able to resume their preparations. The team fulfilled their scheduled fixture the following day.

Syed called the episode “unfortunate” and confirmed he had been in direct contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in the aftermath. The message from the hosts, he said, was clear: security will be tightened.

He added that the ECB had “assured us that every possible measure should be taken for the security of the escort,” stressing that safeguarding visiting teams is a collective duty.

"This is the responsibility of the whole sport to ensure the safety, security and well-being of the visiting team," Syed said. "They are on it and we are hopeful that nothing of such sort will happen in the future."

Local politician and Reform county councillor George Madgwick was among those who went to the hotel. He said staff quickly showed him proof that the guests in question were indeed the Pakistan under-19 touring party, not migrants. Madgwick then tried to stem the tide, urging people online not to attend.

Speaking to the BBC, he traced the flashpoint back to a single social media post.

"Someone online saw a group of what looked like foreign nationals leaving the coach and put a photo of it online and that's where it spurred from," he said. "It was mere speculation rather than based on truth or fact.

"In this case they have made a grave error, a grave mistake."

The incident has drawn criticism locally and beyond, with questions raised over assumptions made about the young players’ appearance and background. Responding to comments on his Facebook post, Madgwick rejected claims that the reaction to the cricketers’ arrival had been racist.

"I think one person made the assumption and everybody else followed that assumption," he said. "It isn't a good reflection on our city. It's not something I want our city to be known for."

The Pakistan under-19s, meanwhile, have been left to do what they came for: play cricket in a country where touring sides are supposed to be protected, not mistaken for something they are not.