Cricket World Cup 2019: Fight between Pakistan and Afghanistan fans breaks out

The two teams are playing a group match against each other at Headingley Stadium in Leeds at the moment

A cricket fan waves the Afghan national flag during the Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Headingley in Leeds, England, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

The Headingley Stadium in Leeds is packed with Pakistan and Afghanistan cricket fans today. Rui Vieira / AP Photo

Jun 29, 2019

Clashes broke out between Pakistan and Afghanistan fans during their Cricket World Cup group match inside and outside Headingley Stadium at Leeds today.

Supporters got into a fight in the Carnegie Pavilion Stand an hour into the match following which security personnel intervened and evicted some of them from the stadium, ESPNcricinfo reported. Fans outside the stadium used steel barricades as weapons against each other, with journalists also being assaulted for filming the scenes.

Here are two videos:

Afghan fans clash with security officials and Pakistani Fans.
Also harass Pakistani media personnel.@cricketworldcup @TheRealPCB @ACBofficials pic.twitter.com/ayUvFWqBy0
— Anas Saeed (@anussaeed1) June 29, 2019

What the hell is going on outside #leads ? Fight between Afghani and Pakistani Fans..#PAKvAFG #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/eqfIFS2z7u
— Sultan Shah (@SultanShah1) June 29, 2019

Pakistan need to win today to keep their bid to reach the semi-finals of the showpiece event alive. Afghanistan are already out of contention after losing all their matches thus far. While the specific reasons for the scuffles are yet to be fully established, political tensions between the two countries who share a border are rife at the moment.