Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially filed a grievance with match referee Neeyamur Rashid after a controversial DRS call during the series-deciding third ODI against Bangladesh in Dhaka. The “Shaheen Afridi-led” side lost the winner-take-all match by 11 runs, handing the three-match ODI series 2-1 to Bangladesh.
Core of Controversy
The incident occurred on the fifth ball of final over of match when Pakistan needed 12 runs off two deliveries.
The Call: Umpire Kumar Dharmasena initially signaled a wide on a delivery from Rishad Hossain to Shaheen Afridi.
The Reversal: Bangladesh opted for a review, and UltraEdge confirmed a spike as the ball passed the bat. The wide was overturned, effectively ending Pakistan’s realistic hopes of a comeback.
Allegations of Protocol Breach
Pakistan’s management has raised serious concerns regarding the timing and legality of the review process:
Big Screen Influence: PCB alleges that Bangladesh requested the DRS review only after a replay of the ball was prematurely flashed on the stadium’s giant screen.
The 15-Second Rule: There are also claims that the 15-second window for challenging a decision had already expired before the review was officially signaled by the Bangladesh captain.
A Bitter Series Loss
Despite a magnificent century (106 off 98 balls) from Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan failed to chase down the 291-run target. This “humiliation” marks a big low point for the team, coming immediately after their T20 World Cup campaign. PCB’s complaint highlights their frustration over what they perceive as a failure to follow standard ICC protocols during a high-stakes moment.
‘Really proud of my team’, says PAK captain after series loss
Shaheen Shah Afridi expressed pride in his team despite Pakistan national cricket team suffering a disappointing ODI series defeat against Bangladesh.
The newly appointed ODI captain Shaheen commended his relatively young squad for showing determination and fighting hard throughout the series. He also believes the experience will help the younger players gain valuable lessons and develop further in the future.
“So really proud and I think, the youngsters came here for the one-day first time and they played…. I think really, really proud today, like the way they played, really proud. And we will support them,” Afridi said at the post-match presentation.
“I think that early wickets little bit cost us, but I’m really proud of the team. They fight till the end, and I think what we need that for youngster [youngsters] and they fight for till the last ball,” he added.
