Salman Questions Fakhar’s Dismissal: ‘Ball Bounced Before Keeper’

Pakistan captain, Salman Ali Agha, expressed doubts about Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal, implying the ball might have touched the ground before reaching wicketkeeper Sanju Samson.

“I can’t comment on the decision; it’s the umpire’s responsibility. Mistakes are possible, and I accept that. However, it seemed the ball bounced before it was caught by the keeper,” Salman remarked after India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in Dubai.

“I might be incorrect. I can’t say for sure. If Fakhar had continued batting during the powerplay, we might have reached 190. But that’s the umpire’s judgment, and they can err. In my view, the ball bounced before reaching the keeper,” he added.

Cricbuzz’s ball-by-ball commentary described the dismissal:

2.3 Hardik Pandya to Fakhar Zaman, out Caught by Samson!! Fakhar is out. He waits as the umpires verify if the catch is clean. It’s difficult to be sure as the ball is very close to the ground before reaching the gloves – is there a clean catch? The third umpire reviews multiple angles before deciding. OUT is the final call. Fakhar, though in disbelief, had to accept the decision. He remained for a moment, unsure, before heading off. The off-cutter from Hardik, with a change in grip, induced the edge, leading to the dismissal.

The call favored India, but after a promising start, Pakistan’s innings declined. They reached 55/1 in six overs, their best powerplay against India in 15 T20Is, surpassing the previous 54/0 mark in Ahmedabad, 2012. They were 91/1 at the halfway, marking their third best 10-over total in this Asia Cup and strongest against India. However, they managed only 30 in the next six overs, losing three wickets.

On a batting-friendly pitch, Pakistan’s middle order struggled as the ball aged, managing only two boundaries post-powerplay, both in the final three overs: one from a full toss, the other an edge.

Salman felt the eventual total of 171/5 was decent, though slightly below expectations.

“It was a competitive total, but we needed 10-15 more runs. After 10 overs, when the ball softens, this venue isn’t conducive for easy scoring. With our start, we aimed for 180 plus,” the Pakistan captain explained.

“The pitch made it difficult for a new batter to play aggressively immediately. Set batsmen need to continue to the end. Even Indian batsmen found it hard to adapt to the pitch’s pace. Losing two set players hindered our momentum.”

Pakistan batted first in all four of their Asia Cup matches, recording innings of 160/7, 127/9, 146/9, and 171/5.

Salman discussed how UAE pitches, differing from those at home, influenced their batting approach.

“Scoring 200 here isn’t feasible. You must adapt to the conditions. Aspiring for a 200 total on a 160 par pitch is impractical,” Salman noted.

“With better pitches, our batting would mirror what was displayed against Bangladesh [at home]. There’s a significant difference in conditions here.”