Umpires say sorry to Umar: The News

By From Abdul Mohi Shah
JOHANNESBURG: Umpires Simon Taufel (Australia) and Ian Gould (England) said ‘sorry to Umar Akmal’ after their sub-standard and biased umpiring in the Champions Trophy semifinal lead to Pakistan’s unexpected defeat against New Zealand on Saturday.

A source in the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed to ‘The News’ that heated arguments were exchanged between Pakistan coach Inrtikhab Alam and the umpires during a hearing conducted after the semifinal at Wanderers. Match referee Javagal Srinath called up Umar and Intikhab for a hearing after the match, over what umpires blamed the batsman for showing dissent over the lbw decision. Taufel ruled Umar lbw at a time when he had played the ball on to his pads. Umar’s fall at a crucial stage robbed Pakistan of a chance to post a big total.

The Pakistan camp defended Umar and was very critical of the umpiring standard during the match. Srinath repeated the slides in front of field umpires and later conducted a separate hearing with the umpires.

According to the sources, the match referee later cleared Umar of showing any dissent and conveyed that the umpire who had made the decision said ‘sorry’ to Umar for the wrong judgment.

That was not the only biased decision by the umpires who faltered on no less than four occasions to help New Zealand make it to the final. Grant Elliott, who went on to play a match-winning knock was let off twice during his stay at the wicket. Shahid Afridi almost got him when he was new at the crease. Rana Naveed had him plumb on a full toss when again he was ruled not out. Even Daniel Vettori got a lucky break off Saeed Ajmal.

The worst of all that the two field umpires were so strict on Pakistan bowlers that they ruled most of short pitched deliveries as wide ball and at the same time extended full luxury to New Zealand bowlers to hurl such deliveries.

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