An Italian city has reportedly banned the game of cricket in parks after a small boy in near by home was hit by the ball, according to reports.
The news is a huge blow especially to the Pakistan and Afghan residents who reside in the city of Bolzano, which is present in northern part of the country.
According to BBC, the mayor of Bolzano has decided to ban the game after the ball hit the boy, who is standing in his home’s balcony.
The kid is believed to be approximately 100 meters away from the area where cricket is played. He has managed to recover from the concussion he suffered due to the incident.
Mayor Caramaschi has revealed that the ban was invoked after receiving an email from the boy’s parents. However, he has opened the possibility of discussions with the Pakistani community in the city over the matter.
“We will soon make an assessment with representatives of the Pakistani community,” Caramaschi was quoted as saying.
Cricket is not a popular game in Italy as only a few locals play it. But the few Pakistani and Afghan residents in the country are very active in playing the sport.
Incidentally, this is not the first instance where cricket was banned as another Italian city Brescia had banned cricket from being played in public places back in 2009.