Bangladesh batsman Towhid Hridoy expressed frustration with the umpiring standards following his team’s heartbreaking 4-run defeat to South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup match on Monday.
Controversial call of dead ball during Bangladesh’s run-chase
The drama unfolded during a crucial moment in the 17th over of Bangladesh’s chase. Mahmadullah was adjudged LBW by umpire Sam Nogajski, but replays showed the ball had deflected off the pads and rolled to the boundary. While South Africa celebrated prematurely, Mahmadullah successfully reviewed the dismissal.
However, the controversy wasn’t over. Since Nogajski’s call came before the ball reached the boundary, the dead-ball rule applied, denying Bangladesh the four leg-bye runs. This decision proved pivotal as Bangladesh fell short by a mere four runs in a low-scoring encounter.
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Towhid Hridoy unhappy with umpire’s decision
Towhid Hridoy, visibly disappointed, spoke out at the post-match press conference. “To be honest, that was not a good call for us in such a tight match,” he said. “Those four runs could have changed the match scenario.”
Hridoy also highlighted other umpiring inconsistencies, including missed wides that could have benefited Bangladesh.
“They also didn’t give wides which were wides on a few occasions. In this kind of a venue where low-scoring matches are taking place, one or two runs are a big thing. I think those four runs or two wides are close calls and I was given out on umpire’s call and there are room for improvements,” he added.
The controversial call has reignited discussions about accountability in umpiring and the potential impact of human error on close matches. The Bangladesh team will be left wondering what could have been had they been awarded the crucial four runs.
