Harbhajan Singh has voiced his dissatisfaction with the umpiring decisions and current regulations in the aftermath of Pakistan’s narrow loss to South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
Harbhajan has called upon the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reevaluate the ‘umpire’s call’ rule in order to enhance the overall quality of the game.
The contentious incident occurred when the third umpire upheld the on-field decision, despite Pakistan utilizing the Decision Review System (DRS) for a review against Tabraiz Shamsi. Even though ball-tracking technology suggested a potential dismissal, the decision remained unaltered. As a result, Shamsi, along with Keshav Maharaj, contributed crucial runs, ultimately favoring South Africa in the match.
Bad umpiring and bad rules cost Pakistan this game.. @ICC should change this rule .. if the ball is hitting the stump that’s out whether umpire gave out or not out doesn’t matter.. otherwise what is the use of technology??? @TheRealPCB vs #SouthAfrica #worldcup
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 27, 2023
On October 27, Friday, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the cricketing world witnessed a thrilling contest between Pakistan and South Africa. South Africa secured a nail-biting one-wicket victory in this exciting showdown.
Opting to bat first, Pakistan managed to post a competitive total of 270 runs in 46.4 overs, with significant contributions from Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel.
In response, South Africa encountered several challenges but eventually reached the target in 47.2 overs. Aiden Markram’s impressive 91 runs set the stage for South Africa’s victory. However, the climax of the match saw the Proteas in a precarious position at 260/9, only for Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi to guide their team to success.
This defeat marked a historic low for Pakistan, as it was the first time they had experienced four consecutive losses in World Cup history. The victory propelled South Africa to the top of the points table, surpassing India, while Pakistan dropped to the sixth position with just four points.
Pakistan is now scheduled to face Bangladesh on October 31, and South Africa will take on New Zealand on November 1.
