MULTAN: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has put forward his stance on Saud Shakeel’s controversial dismissal, saying that it seemed like the ball had made the ground first but one has to accept the umpires’ decision.
The dismissal, which apparently cost Pakistan a 26-run defeat against England in the second Test, occurred on day 4 when Saud was batting at 94 with Pakistan just 65 runs away from the target. He gloved the ball behind stumps off Mark Wood and wicket-keeper Ollie Pope dived to carry an edge that went too low but still managed to get his gloves underneath the ball.
Was it out or not out?#ASportsHD #PAKvENG #UKsePK pic.twitter.com/HHjVvlmCQ3
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On-field umpires referred the decision to third umpire Joel Wilson who took a while to check the catch and declared it out at last.
“To us, it seems like the ball has touched the ground first,” said the Pakistan captain in a post-match press conference on Monday. “But as a professional, you have to accept the umpire’s decision.
Following Saud’s dismissal, England pacers ran through the tailender to bundle out Pakistan for 328 in the second innings and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after a dramatic win in Multan.
“We made some mistakes. The game was well in our hands like the previous one, but, unfortunately, we couldn’t finish it properly,” said Babar.
He added that the lack of experience especially the absence of the team’s key fast bowlers due to injuries led to the team’s disappointing loss in the match.
“We were a bit unlucky that our main bowlers got unfit before the game which cost us this series. But this cannot be an excuse because as a team we didn’t play good cricket” he said.
Pakistan team had rested its bowling mainstay, Naseem Shah after he suffered discomfort in his shoulder before the start of the second Test match while Haris Rauf was ruled out of the series after pulling a quad injury in the first Test.
The final Test of the historic three-match series will take place from December 17 to 21 in Karachi.
READ: England seal series after dramatic win over Pakistan in Multan Test
