ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Harbhajan Singh Blames ‘Bad Umpiring’ For Pakistan’s Heartbreaking Loss To South Africa, Graeme Smith Differs

Babar Azam’s Pakistan gave it their all but succumbed to their fourth successive loss in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, going down by one wicket to South Africa in match No. 26 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday. Pakistan fans will be ruing the fact that last man Tabraiz Shamsi wasn’t given out leg-before by the umpire when the replays showed that Haris Rauf’s delivery was clipping the leg-stump.

Since the umpire had given it not-out, the Pakistan review couldn’t overturn the decision as the decision showed that it was ‘umpire’s call’. Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh called it ‘bad umpiring’ and blamed it for Pakistan’s one-wicket loss to South Africa.

“Bad umpiring and bad rules cost Pakistan this game,” Harbhajan Singh wrote on social media platform ‘X’. “ICC should change this rule. If the ball is hitting the stump, that’s out, whether the umpire gave out or not out doesn’t matter. Otherwise, what is the use of technology?”

Bad umpiring and bad rules cost Pakistan this game.. @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??? @TheRealPCB vs #SouthAfrica #worldcup — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 27, 2023

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who was present in Chennai as a spectator with his kids, agreed with Harbhajan Singh on ‘umpire’s call’ but felt batter Rassie van der Dussen should have been given ‘not out’ in that case.

“Bhajji, @harbhajan_singh I feel the same as you on umpires call, but @Rassie72 and South Africa can have the same feeling.?” Smith tweeted.

Bhajji, @harbhajan_singh I feel the same as you on umpires call, but @Rassie72 and South Africa can have the same feeling.? https://t.co/lcTvm8zXD1 — Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) October 27, 2023

Pakistan captain Babar Azam refused to blame the umpires and felt it was ‘part of the game’. “It’s part of the game, this is umpire’s call so I think it’s just part of the game. I think it’s disappointing everyone, we had the opportunity to win this match and stay in the tournament but we missed it. We will try our best in our next three matches and put our effort so let's see where we stand after the three matches,” Babar Azam said in the post-match presentation.

Pakistan were bowled out for 270 in 46.4 overs after batting first and failed to play out more than three of their allotted overs. Babar admitted that the side ended up 10-15 runs short of the ideal target on this surface.

Pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi (3/45) and Mohammad Wasim Jr (2/50) did their best to keep Pakistan in the hunt but Keshav Maharaj hit a streaky boundary off the 21st ball he faced to help complete a nerve-wracking win.