Following the controversial dismissal of Mohammed Rizwan in the second Test against Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to address issues related to umpiring decisions and the use of technology with the International Cricket Council (ICC) as per report.
The controversy unfolded when, during the second Test, the on-field umpire initially refused to declare Rizwan out after an appeal for a caught behind by Australian captain and pacer Pat Cummins. However, the decision was overturned through the Decision Review System (DRS). This decision reversal left the Pakistan camp dissatisfied, particularly as the 'Snickometer' indicated a spike when the ball was just above Rizwan's wrist.
As per a report in PTI, "A reliable source within the PCB revealed that Zaka Ashraf, the board's head, engaged in a conversation with team director Mohammed Hafeez. Hafeez conveyed certain points to Ashraf regarding concerns about umpiring decisions and the utilization of technology during the Melbourne Test, where Pakistan suffered a 79-run defeat."
The PCB is now prepared to bring these concerns to the attention of the ICC, the global governing body for cricket. It's worth noting that all rules and regulations governing cricket, including the use of technology on the field, are approved by the ICC Executive Board after being reviewed by the MCC Cricket Committee and ICC Cricket Committee.
Mohammed Hafeez, visibly upset during the post-match press conference at the MCG on Friday, emphasized the importance of highlighting inconsistent umpiring and the challenges posed by technology, which he believes influenced the outcome of the Test match.
“If you look at 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 technology than on the actual cricket being played. I believe this is an area that needs to be addressed,” he Hafeez had said.
“I am not against technology 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 detailed.
Hafeez said he had a talk with Rizwan and the wicketkeeper batter told him that the ball did not touch his gloves, and there should be conclusive evidence to overturn the decision of the on-field umpire.
Inputs from PTI