In a thrilling match that went down to the wire, Pakistan narrowly missed out on victory against their arch-rivals India in the ongoing 2024 Emerging Asia Cup.
The Green Shirts lost the contest by a mere 7 runs, but the match was marred by a controversial umpiring decision that left many fans and experts scratching their heads.
Pakistan’s hopes of securing a win rested on the shoulders of Arafat Miunhas, who was in fine form during the second innings. However, the match took a dramatic turn in the 17th over when Minhas was controversially given out on the last ball.
The incident unfolded as Rasikh Salam bowled the final delivery of the over. Minhas attempted a shot, and the ball was caught by the fielder Wadhira.
However, replays showed that Salam had overstepped, delivering a no-ball. Despite the clear evidence, the umpires ruled in favor of the fielder, sending Munhas back to the pavilion.
The decision sparked outrage on social media, with many questioning the umpires’ competence. Given the controversial nature of the decision, some users even suggested that the match was fixed.
Pakistan’s Arafat Minhas played a valiant innings, scoring 41 runs off 29 balls. However, it was not enough to prevent the defeat.
On Monday, the team will now look to bounce back in their next match against the host nation, Oman.
