Pakistan vs India: Mohammad Nawaz’s last over no ball and free hit debate: ‘It should be reviewed’
In this match between Pakistan and India, Kohli’s unbeaten innings has given Rohit Sharma’s XI a victory by four wickets, but some Pakistani fans are still unhappy with some decisions of the umpires in the last over.
Batting first on India’s invitation, Pakistan set a target of 160 runs. After the wickets of openers captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan fell, the Pakistani batting was in trouble but half-centuries from Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed supported the innings.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s pace attack took India’s wickets early and put them on the back foot. After the loss of four wickets, a partnership of 113 runs between Kohli and Pandya took the match into the last over.
Babar Azam had used all his fast bowlers in search of wickets and hence the ball was given to Mohammad Nawaz to save 16 runs in the last over.
Nawaz’s over kept Pakistani and Indian fans glued to their seats
Nawaz had to save 16 runs off six balls and in front of him were Kohli and Pandya on a partnership of 113 runs.
He caught Pandya out on the first ball. This catch was taken by Babar Azam and he was elated to see the win so close.
Now Dinesh Karthik comes to the crease who is considered to be a good finisher. Under the new rules of T20, Dinesh Karthik had to come at the striker end.
Karthik scored one run off Nawaz’s first ball and Kohli scored two runs off the next ball.
But the direction of the match changed when Kohli hit the fourth ball for a six over the boundary. It was a full toss and the umpire called it a West Hight no ball and signaled a free hit. Babur Azam was very unhappy with this decision.
Adding salt to the wounds, Nawaz delivered a wide and now India needed just six runs from three balls.
Nawaz bowled Kohli on the free hit ball. The ball went towards the back boundary and the Indian batsmen ran away for three runs. The umpire declared it a run by Baez.
Karthik was run out by Rizwan on the fifth ball. Nawaz bowled another wide on Ashwin’s arrival, then Ashwin hit a four off the last ball to give India the win.
But this match till the last over did not disappoint the Pakistani fans as their team has also performed well.
Could it have been nine balls?
The debate on Twitter is getting very intense as to whether Nawaz’s fourth ball was a no ball or not as it was the turning point of the match.
Former Australian cricketer and commentator Brad Hogg shared the picture of this new ball and wrote, “Why this new ball (Pakistan) has not been reviewed.” When Kohli was bowled on a free hit, why was it not called a dead ball?
