In the IND vs PAK clash, that too Asia Cup final, players are bound to make honest mistakes. Actually, they are well within their rights to appeal for a dismissal, however obnoxious it may seem. Something like this happened on Sunday, during the 16th over of the Pakistani innings, when Axar Patel was bowling.
Surykumar Yadav Rattles Pakistanis
Skipper Salman Ali Agha set off for two runs, while his counterpart Suryakumar Yadav fielded the ball, and threw it in a jiffy towards Sanju Samson. But before the keeper could collect the ball, it hit Salman on the hand. That propelled Surya to believe, that it was obstruction by the batter.
Right from the moment he appealed, it looked clear, that Salman did not change his path, and was not out. Yet, as discussed, it was the prerogative of the fielding skipper. The replays also confirmed that the batter was safe. But that did not go down well with PAK commentator Wasim Akram, who spoke about sportsman spirit.
Gets Lesson on Sportsmanship
The former Pakistan skipper went on to say on air, “This was unnecessary, absolutely against sportsman spirit.” Unecessary perhaps, but not unsportsmanlike, by any stretch of imagination. For all you know, it could have been a tactic by the shrewd skipper to rattle the Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, it what started as an excellent batting performance by the Pakistanis — were 113/1 at one stage — they were reduced to 134/8 later in the innings. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy were at the middle of PAK collapse
