‘Itni koi eagle eyes nahi hai aapki…’ – Shahid Afridi condemns umpires for no ball call in India-Pakistan battle

The India-Pakistan clash played at Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23, Sunday in the 20-20 World Cup did not fall short of drama. The final over of the match paved the way for many controversies although Virat Kohli’s stupendous innings turned out to be the talk of the town.

Chasing a target of 160, India required 13 runs off the final 3 balls and Mohammad Nawaz bowled a waist-high no-ball that Kohli smashed for six. However, the controversy erupted when many claimed that it was not a no-ball and it was below the waist height. 

India, on the back of a greathearted run chase from Kohli, who scored an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls, won the match with 4 wickets to spare off the last ball of the match. However, as soon as the match ended, many players and former legends from Pakistan started slamming the umpires for not going to the third umpire to decide on the no-ball. 

Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistani cricketer, joined those who criticised the umpires and asked if they had eagle eyes as they came to a conclusion without going upstairs. Further, Afridi stressed that the umpires must refer to the TV umpire to decide the waist-high no-ball just like they do to decide a run-out. 

Waha pe agar third umpire ko refer kar dete: Afridi

Slamming the umpires on the same, Afridi said that many instances have happened in the past where the umpires went upstairs to decide on dismissals and other incidents. 

“Jab se ye third umpire aya hai… Bohut sare run outs hai jaha pe on-field umpire bas signal kar dete hai third umpire k liye. Wo ek crucial situation tha, waha pe agar third umpire ko refer kar dete toh wo aapko bata dete but aapne fauran kar di no-ball ka ishara. Itni koi eagle eyes nahi hai aapki, third umpire ko refer kar sakte the. (There are many instances in the past when the umpires immediately signal for the third umpire for run-out appeals. That was a crucial stage of the match, it should have been referred to the third umpire, who could have been a better judge. You don’t have eagle eyes that you made a decision so quickly),” Afridi said on Samaa TV.

As it stands, Pakistan would hope to make a comeback in the next game against Zimbabwe on Thursday. India, on the other hand, will face the Netherlands on the same day and they would hope to carry on with the momentum.