‘Putting a curse on this beautiful game’: Pakistan coach blows up over Rizwan DRS wicket
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Pakistan coach Mohammad Hafeez has blown up and accused technology of “putting a curse on this beautiful game” following a match-defining DRS decision in the second Test.
Australian skipper Pat Cummins was bowling at Mohammad Rizwan on 35 with the visitors at 5-219 and needing 98 runs for an unlikely victory at the MCG.
The Aussies then went up as one appealing for a caught behind, but they were forced to review after umpire Michael Gough gave it not out.
Cummins took one look at the replay and cheered with his teammates as it showed the ball hitting Rizwan’s glove.
But third umpire Richard Illingworth took his time, watching replays from several angles, and after a lengthy review he overturned the on-field decision.
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Pakistan lost their next four wickets for just 20 runs as Australia won the Test by 79 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
Hafeez saw the moment as a major turning point in the match and blasted the officials for a decision he believed they got wrong.
“Technology, I’m in favour of it if it’s giving you the benefit, but if it’s bringing some doubt and bringing some curse into the game it should not be acceptable by anyone,” Hafeez said.
“We play this beautiful game of cricket on the basics of the game, but sometimes the technology brings some decisions which obviously as a human we don’t understand. The ball hitting into the stumps (on DRS) is always out. Why is there an umpire’s call? I’ve never understood that.
“I think there are a lot of areas that need to be addressed for the betterment of cricket in general where technology is taking away from the instinct of the game.
“We play this game for the fans but the fans will never understand why this technology is inconsistent and the result of the game comes up differently.
“This technology is basically putting a curse on this beautiful game of cricket and we need to address it.”
Australian great Adam Gilchrist said the footage of the incident was not entirely conclusive, though he added it did look to catch the top of Rizwan’s glove.
“I wasn’t certain. All the replays I saw, I didn’t feel with certainty that it had (hit the wristband). I think if it’s taken that many looks and that long a time, there’s probably got to be a cut-off point,” Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket.
“There’s a rather large mark on his forearm a bit further up his arm.”
“Having looked at it the amount of times that we did, I just wonder if it just flicked the wrist band. We can only assume that is what Richard Illingworth thought,” he added.
Rizwan had a significant mark on his right forearm and was stunned at the decision, which he relayed to his coach.
“I spoke to him and he’s a very honest person and what he said to me was he did not even feel that it touched anywhere near the gloves,” Hafeez said.
“And what we know is there should be conclusive evidence for the third umpire to reverse the decision.
“The umpire gave it not out and there was no clear conclusive evidence that the decision has to be turned over.”
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