ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan cricket captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has sparked a contentious debate by questioning the integrity of Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh’s ability to generate reverse swing early in their recent T20 World Cup Super 8 stage match against Australia.
Speaking on a television show, Inzamam raised concerns about the timing of the ball’s reverse swing, suggesting that umpires should be more vigilant in monitoring such occurrences to ensure fair play. He remarked that the ball began to reverse as early as the 15th over, implying that it had been prepared for reverse swing much earlier, possibly by the 12th or 13th over.
“In the 15th over, Arshdeep Singh was already getting the ball to reverse swing. Is it normal for a new ball to reverse that early? This suggests that preparations for reverse swing were made by the 12th or 13th over. Umpires need to be alert and notice these things,” Inzamam-ul-Haq stated during the show.
His comments have sparked controversy and led to interpretations of potential foul play, although Inzamam did not directly accuse anyone of wrongdoing. However, his remarks have drawn attention to umpiring standards and perceptions of fairness in international cricket matches.
Inzamam’s former teammate, Salim Malik recalled an incident involving Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram in Zimbabwe, where complaints were raised about the ball being tampered with, resulting in a fine.
Furthermore, Inzamam emphasized a double standard in how such situations are perceived based on the team involved. He suggested that if Pakistani bowlers had achieved similar reverse swing under similar circumstances, it would have likely sparked a major controversy.
“If it was Pakistani bowlers (reverse swinging the ball) this would have become a big issue,” Inzamam added.
