Australia sealed an unassailable 2-0 series victory against Pakistan following a commanding performance in the second Test on Friday.
Australia clinched the win by dismissing the visitors for 237 runs in their second innings, leaving Pakistan falling short of the 317-run target set by the hosts. The remarkable display by Australian skipper Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc’s impactful four-wicket haul further bolstered Australia’s dominance.
Although the game was marred by contentious umpiring decisions that sparked controversy during Pakistan’s pursuit of victory. The match took a controversial turn during Mohammad Rizwan’s dismissal, leaving the wicketkeeper-batsman visibly stunned.
The crucial moment occurred in the 61st over of Pakistan’s second innings when Pat Cummins appealed for a caught behind against Rizwan. Initially dismissed by the on-field umpire, Cummins opted for a review suspecting a possible glove touch by Rizwan.
Upon review, the third umpire analyzed multi-ple angles and detected a spike as the ball passed the wrist band, leading to a reversal of the on-field decision. However, the hotspot technology failed to display any mark as Rizwan turned away from the ball at the crucial moment.
Addressing the team’s performance, Pakistan Team Manager Mohammad Hafeez commended Australia for their win and expressed pride in the Pakistan team’s courage, intent, and passion in their pursuit of victory.
“Firstly, I would like to congratulate Australia on their series win. They played good cricket. As the Team Manager, I am particularly proud of the courage, intent, and passion displayed by the Pakistani team in their pursuit of victory. While we acknowledge the mistakes made as a team, it’s important to highlight inconsistent umpiring and the challenges with technology which influenced the outcome. I believe addressing these areas is crucial for future matches,” said Hafeez.
Expressing concern over the umpiring decisions, Hafeez emphasized the need for balance between technology and the essence of cricketing instinct.
“If we analyze the entire game, there were very inconsistent decisions by the umpires. We play this beautiful game of cricket with natural instinct, and we all know the basics of the game. However, at times, it feels like the focus is more on the technology show than on the actual cricket being played. I believe this is an area that needs to be addressed correctly,” he further added.
Highlighting the impact of doubtful decisions, Hafeez raised doubts about certain calls and reiterated the need for clarity and certainty in the sport.
“We made some mistakes, and there were cer-tain moments where we did not seize the opportu-nity to change the outcome. I am not against tech-nology in the game, but if it brings doubt and confusion, it is not acceptable. Some decisions were not understandable. The ball hitting the stumps is always out. I will never understand why there is an umpire’s call,” he concluded.—AFP
