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Legendary India cricketer Harbhajan Singh became a target of trolls after he shared a controversial tweet following Pakistan's defeat to South Africa in the 2023 Cricket World Cup in Chennai on Friday.
Harbhajan Singh's mockery on X, previously Twitter, came after he blamed poor umpiring for Pakistan's loss in Chennai.
“Bad umpiring and bad rules cost Pakistan this game,” Harbhajan Singh wrote on the microblogging platform. “International Cricket Council (ICC) should change this rule. If the ball is hitting the stump that's out whether umpire gave out or not out doesn't matter. Otherwise, what is the use of technology???”
During the fag-end of the contest, Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf struck Tabraiz Shamsi in front of the wickets. However, umpire Alex Wharf reckoned that the ball was sliding down the leg side and declared him not out.
Immediately, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam asked for a review.
However, the replays showed that the ball would have only clipped the leg stump, meaning it was the umpire's call, which in this case was not out.
It came as a shock to Pakistani players, considering it looked plumb to the naked eye. More importantly, the ball Haris Rauf bowled pitched in line and struck Tabraiz Shamsi below the knee roll, yet he survived.
The one reason behind the ball drifting to the leg side could be Haris Rauf's angle. As he was delivering his balls from the outer part of the crease, his incoming balls seemed to be moving way outside the leg stump.
The one reason behind the ball drifting to the leg side could be Haris Rauf's angle. As he was delivering his balls from the outer part of the crease, his incoming balls seemed to be moving way outside the leg stump.
As the umpire's call saved Tabraiz Shamsi, he and Keshav Maharaj kept their nerve to see South Africa home.
On the other hand, the Pakistani cricketers were distraught as not only did they lose the match by a wicket, but their fate in the competition.
The loss against South Africa was Pakistan's fourth in succession in the Cricket World Cup, leaving their chances of qualifying for the semis in tatters.
Against this backdrop, Harbhajan Singh pointed out that “bad umpiring” was behind Pakistan's defeat at the Chepauk Stadium.
But the former India spinner's words were not appreciated by netizens, who underlined that a similar incident happened with South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen, who was given out under controversial circumstances by the DRS.
Harbhajan Singh kept mum on that episode, which angered fans on the internet.
Why didn't Harbhajan raise questions against "Umpire's Call" when Rassie van der Dussen was given out?
He didn't even question it when the decisions went against Indian team.Let there be no doubt that Pakistan has a special place in Bhajjis heart.
He should change his name to… pic.twitter.com/nmsIAEbZAw— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) October 27, 2023
Cry harder, we can feel your pain Bhajji.
He was sleeping when South Africa lost wicket of van der Dussen because of On Field Umpire’s call.
He woke up when Shamsi survived because of on field umpire’s call.2 peg lene ke baad wala Logic 🤭@harbhajan_singh #PAKvSA https://t.co/1PoJyJX7bG pic.twitter.com/MLtwtbcXrA
— Amit Singh Rajawat (@satya_AmitSingh) October 27, 2023
Rassi Van Der Dussen was not out, but was given out due to umpire's call. With your selective outrage, you have clearly shown your overwhelming bias in favor of the terrorist country pakistan. #PakvsSA pic.twitter.com/48RUvF7Ugh
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) October 28, 2023
Ignore Harbhajan, he is a chutiya. He just loves Pakistan too much and can't face the reality.
South Africa played well and deserved the win.
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) October 27, 2023
https://twitter.com/jaankiii_/status/1717980063986323814
Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam refused to blame the DRS for his team's defeat.
“Yes, to be honest. We were very close but disappointed not to finish on the winning side. We fought back very well. In the batting we, were 10-15 runs short. But the way we bowled was good. The spinners and the pacers were brilliant,” Babar Azam said in the presentation ceremony.
“To be honest, it's part of the game. If the umpire had given OUT, it would have favored us. It's Umpire's Call on the DRS and we have to take it.”
“We showed great fight and took the game to the last over. If we had won this game, we would have kept ourselves alive in the competition. We will try our best in the next three matches. We will look to be at our best and play for Pakistan,” he stressed.
With Pakistan almost out of the race for the semifinals, coach Mickey Arthur warned against a witch-hunt against the players and the team management.
“It's really unfair to start a witch hunt, certainly on Babar Azam, on Inzi, on our coaches, on the management team,” Mickey Arthur told reporters.
“What I do know is the boys have tried and the effort of the coaching staff, the effort of the players has been first-class. If they would see that the amount of effort that the players and staff put in, they would be amazed,” he added.
“Tonight is a totally different feeling in that dressing room to the Afghanistan game. The Afghanistan game was… we were average in all departments. Tonight, we were OK with the bat, I thought we were very good with the ball. I'm really proud of those (players) because they fought right to the bitter end,” Mickey Arthur emphasized.
“We always set ourselves up to have one of your top four in at over 40. You talk about the success that we've had over the last year; we've had one of our top four generally getting hundreds. We've had two hundreds this competition so far, both in the same game. So, we've had players get in. We've had players get starts. We haven't had players go through,” the Pakistan team director noted.
“I don't think we managed the last five overs particularly well tonight. There was still, at one point, in the 45th over, I remember saying to the dressing room a run a ball gets us 295 and a little bit more we've got us 300,” he elaborated.
“I know we would have defended 300 tonight. So, I don't think we managed that back end particularly well at all. And we left balls out there that we didn't face,” Mickey Arthur summed up.
