The final of the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2023 was marked by a sensational century from Indian opener Sai Sudharsan and a controversial dismissal that sparked a heated debate on social media. Sudharsan’s impressive form and partnership with Abhishek Sharma had given India a solid start in pursuing a record target against Pakistan.
However, Sudharsan’s innings was cut short by Pakistan’s Arshad Iqbal after the powerplay. The Indian opener mistimed a pull shot, leading to an all-important breakthrough for Pakistan A. While Sudharsan waited on the boundary ropes, hoping for a reprieve as many fans believed Iqbal had overstepped, the third umpire ruled him out for 29 runs in the ninth over.
The dismissal ignited a storm on social media, with fans expressing frustration and disappointment over the umpiring decision. Many viewers felt that Sudharsan had been robbed of a chance to continue his innings and that the standard of umpiring in cricket was declining. Some also pointed out that umpires often went unpunished for their mistakes.
Despite the setback, India’s opening partnership had set the tone for a competitive chase. However, Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem emerged as the wrecker-in-chief, claiming a crucial three-wicket haul that triggered a batting collapse for India. Yash Dhull and Harshit Rana were among the batsmen who fell to Muqeem’s impressive bowling.
Tayyab Tahir’s brilliant century further solidified Pakistan A’s dominance, guiding them to a massive 128-run victory in the final. The result marked a memorable triumph for Mohammad Haris and his team.
While the final showcased both teams’ talent and competitive spirit, the controversial dismissal of Sai Sudharsan added an element of controversy to the game. Such incidents highlight the importance of accurate umpiring decisions in cricket and raise discussions about improving the overall standard of officiating.
Arshad iqbal setup against Sai Sudharsan. 🥵 pic.twitter.com/VHi3hvAesi
— umair (@xdselenophile) July 23, 2023
3rd umpire judges it as a Legal Delivery. pic.twitter.com/WDwDpJAyAq
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 23, 2023
Sai got robbed, umpiring now a days 🫡
— Shubman Gang (@ShubmanGang) July 23, 2023
Umpiring right across the board is poor these days and what makes it worse is that these umpires dont even get penalised!
— Pooh (@ThodaYehThodaWo) July 23, 2023
