Pakistan coach Mohammad Hafeez said technology was “putting a curse” on cricket after seeing Mohammad Rizwan dismissed following a lengthy review in the visitors’ 79-run defeat to Australia in the second Test on Friday.
Cummins’ delivery appeared to glance Rizwan’s glove before carrying through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey, but Australia’s appeal was initially turned down.
The third umpire then overturned the on-field decision following a review which took several minutes and examined the incident from a number of different angles.
After Rizwan’s dismissal, Pakistan lost their last four wickets in quick succession as Australia sealed the win and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.
“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...,” Hafeez told reporters after the defeat.
“He (Rizwan) is a very honest person and he said to me he did not even feel that it touched anywhere near the gloves.
“There should be conclusive evidence to reverse the decision of an umpire... and there was no very conclusive kind of evidence. Technology is basically putting the curse on this beautiful game of cricket.”
Despite the defeat, Hafeez said his side played better cricket than the Aussies in the second Test.
“We played better cricket as a team. I’m proud of that. The way the team had the courage to attack this game in the best possible way...
“Our batting intent was better, and while bowling, we were hitting the right areas,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
However, Australia captain Pat Cummins did not endorse Hafeez’s view. “Cool! Yeah, they played well, but glad we got the win. Doesn’t really matter, does it? It matters who wins at the end,” said Cummins.
With inputs from Reuters
India points docked
Calcutta: India have been penalised two World Test Championship (WTC) points for maintaining a slow over-rate in the Centurion Test. They have also been fined 10 per cent of their match fees.
India will, as a result, slip from fifth to sixth place on the WTC points table.
The final Test starts in Cape Town from Wednesday.
India were found to be two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. Players are fined 5 per cent of their match fee and a team is docked one point each for every over short.
“Rohit Sharma pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing,” said ICC in a statement.
The result also puts India in a precarious position in the WTC cycle. Before the penalty they were placed fifth with 16 points.
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