Salman Butt Blames Rachin Ravindra for His Own Injury, Calls Floodlight Controversy ‘Excuses’ & Takes a Dig at India

“It Was Misjudgment, Not Floodlights” – Butt Defends PCB, Calls Out Double Standards

The Rachin Ravindra injury controversy has taken a new turn after former Pakistan captain Salman Butt dismissed concerns over Gaddafi Stadium’s floodlights, shifting the blame entirely onto the New Zealand all-rounder’s misjudgment. In a fiery take, Butt not only defended the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) but also called out India’s cricket infrastructure, questioning why similar stadium issues in India didn’t receive the same backlash.

The incident occurred during the first ODI of the tri-series in Lahore, where Ravindra suffered a gruesome head injury while attempting a catch. The New Zealand star misjudged the ball’s trajectory, which struck him flush on the forehead, resulting in heavy bleeding and an immediate exit from the field. Following the injury, fans and media raised concerns over the newly installed LED floodlights at the venue, questioning whether poor lighting visibility played a role in the incident.

However, Butt strongly refuted these claims, stating that the lights had nothing to do with it and that Ravindra simply miscalculated the catch.

Salman Butt: “Blaming Floodlights is Just an Excuse”

Speaking on a local news channel, Butt launched into a passionate defense of Pakistan’s infrastructure, stating that the PCB was unfairly targeted over an issue that he believes was purely a player error.

“There’s no point trying to make people understand when they don’t want to. These are some of the latest LED lights that have been installed, so these are fine.”

Butt then challenged the logic of blaming floodlights, pointing out that New Zealand’s batters had no trouble spotting the ball when hitting sixes.

“When New Zealand players hit sixes off deliveries bowled at close to 150 kph, were the lights not working then? A player who was standing 70 meters away failed to take the catch because of his misjudgment.”

While acknowledging Ravindra’s skills as a fielder, Butt suggested that his foot may have slipped, which led to the unfortunate injury.

“He is a fine fielder, but perhaps his leg slipped, and he got hurt.”

Despite New Zealand Cricket officially confirming that Ravindra suffered a laceration on his forehead that required stitches, Butt remained firm that the stadium infrastructure was not to blame.

Butt Takes a Dig at India: “Why No Backlash When Their Floodlights Failed?”

Butt didn’t just stop at defending Pakistan’s cricket facilities—he turned the conversation towards India, questioning why similar issues in Indian stadiums weren’t criticized with the same intensity.

🔴 Reference to India’s Floodlight Controversy:

• The second ODI between India and England at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium was delayed for 30 minutes due to floodlight failure.
• BCCI faced public backlash, and the Odisha Cricket Association was asked to provide an explanation.
• Yet, there was no global outrage like the one Pakistan was facing over Gaddafi Stadium’s lights.

“People are quick to blame Pakistan’s stadiums, but when there’s a floodlight failure in India, the world stays quiet. Why the double standards?”

This pointed remark has further fueled the debate, with fans divided over whether Butt was simply defending PCB or trying to deflect accountability by shifting the spotlight onto India.

Is Salman Butt Right or Just Deflecting? The Debate Heats Up

Butt’s strong defense of the PCB and his attack on India’s stadium infrastructure has ignited a heated debate among fans, analysts, and former cricketers.

Two Strongly Opposed Views Have Emerged:

1️. Team Butt: “Pakistan is Always Unfairly Targeted”

Many Pakistani fans and cricket experts agree with Butt, arguing that Pakistan’s stadiums are unfairly criticized, while India’s issues are conveniently ignored.

✔️ Gaddafi Stadium was upgraded with modern LED lights—the blame should be on the player, not the infrastructure.
✔️ India’s Cuttack stadium had an actual floodlight failure—yet the backlash was much softer.
✔️ New Zealand never raised any complaints about visibility before the match.

💬 Fan Reactions Supporting Butt:
🔹 “Pakistan’s stadiums are constantly scrutinized, while India’s failures get brushed under the carpet!”
🔹 “How can you blame floodlights when a player misjudges a catch? It’s just making excuses!”

2️. The Critics: “Butt is Just Deflecting Blame”

However, many believe Butt is trying to shift focus from Pakistan’s poor stadium management by bringing up India.

⚠️ Key Concerns Raised:
❌ If multiple players struggle with visibility under the floodlights, the issue shouldn’t be ignored.
❌ Just because India had a floodlight failure doesn’t mean Pakistan’s lighting was perfect.
❌ Instead of bringing India into it, PCB should focus on ensuring player safety at their own venues.

💬 Critical Fan Reactions:
🔹 “Blaming India won’t fix Pakistan’s stadium issues—PCB needs to focus on better facilities.”
🔹 “Floodlights or not, a professional fielder should never misjudge a catch that badly!”

What’s Next? More Scrutiny on Cricket Infrastructure

Regardless of which side of the debate one stands on, the incident has reignited discussions about player safety, stadium lighting, and overall cricket infrastructure across nations.

🔹 For Pakistan: PCB will continue to defend its stadium facilities, but this controversy could push them to conduct further lighting tests.
🔹 For New Zealand: Ravindra’s injury raises concerns over player safety and visibility training in floodlit games.
🔹 For India: The Cuttack floodlight issue has put BCCI under pressure to ensure better stadium management before the Champions Trophy 2025.

With the ICC Champions Trophy just months away, all cricket boards will need to tighten their stadium infrastructure standards to avoid similar controversies.

Is Butt Defending Pakistan or Just Stirring the Pot?

Was Salman Butt justified in blaming Rachin Ravindra for his own injury and calling the floodlight controversy an “excuse”, or is this just another case of deflecting responsibility away from Pakistan’s cricket board?

What do you think? Was Butt’s response fair, or was he just trying to drag India into Pakistan’s problems? Drop your opinions below!