Pakistan vs South Africa: Pakistan’s prospects in the ICC World Cup have suffered a significant setback following a tense one-wicket defeat to South Africa last Friday.
Pakistan vs South Africa, In a thrilling contest, Pakistani bowlers made an impressive comeback by capturing five wickets for just 54 runs as South Africa pursued a target of 271. Aiden Markram’s exceptional knock of 91 had put South Africa in a commanding position at 206/4. With only 11 runs needed for victory, South Africa had five overs remaining but were teetering on the edge of defeat.
The pivotal moment arrived during the 46th over when Haris Rauf bowled to Tabraiz Shamsi, the South African tailender. Shamsi’s pads were struck by the ball, leading to Pakistan’s fervent appeal for an LBW decision. However, the umpire rejected the appeal.
Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, opted for a review of the decision. Video replays indicated that Shamsi was in close proximity to the stumps when the ball made contact with his pads. Unfortunately for Pakistan, the ball-tracking system revealed that the ball would only marginally graze Shamsi’s leg stump. This decision favored South Africa, allowing them to continue their pursuit of victory.
This win elevated South Africa to the top of the points table with 10 points earned from five victories, edging out India based on net run rate.
Former Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh, voiced his frustration with the rule.
“Questionable officiating and flawed rules cost Pakistan this match… @ICC should reconsider this rule… If the ball is hitting the stumps, it should be considered out, regardless of the umpire’s initial decision. Otherwise, what’s the point of technology?” Harbhajan tweeted.
Meanwhile, commentator and respected cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle called for a more detailed explanation of the “Umpire’s Call.”
“I believe it’s time to clarify ‘Umpire’s Call’ once more. After the ball contacts the pad, what you see is a projection of where the ball might have gone, not its actual path since it has been obstructed. If over 50% of the ball’s projection is towards hitting the stumps, you can be highly confident it would have hit. However, if less than 50% of the projection indicates hitting the stumps, the current accuracy levels can’t definitively overturn the umpire’s decision. It’s a sensible and equitable method. As camera technology improves and the projected path becomes more certain, we may reach a point where we can be certain that even a slight brush on the stumps would have led to an actual hit,” Bhogle tweeted.
Graeme Smith, the former South African captain, expressed his support for his team while referencing a previous DRS (Decision Review System) call involving Rassie van der Dussen during the match.
The Proteas secured their victory with a boundary from Keshav Maharaj against Pakistani spinner Mohammad Nawaz, igniting jubilant celebrations in their camp. Regrettably, this marked Pakistan’s fourth consecutive loss in the World Cup, following their promising start with two initial wins. With only four points from six matches, their chances of progressing further in the tournament have become uncertain.
