PAK vs NED: Umpiring error leads to five-ball over in World Cup 2023

Pakistan’s opening ODI World Cup 2023 match against the Netherlands witnessed an umpiring blunder, which led to a five-ball over during its batting innings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

The Netherlands, at their first World Cup since 2011, got off to a dream start after winning the toss and opting to bowl first.

Pakistan lost their top three Fakhar Zaman (12), Imam-ul-Haq (15) and Babar Azam (5) with just 38 runs on the board in 9.1 overs.

A rebuilding job from Mohammed Rizwan and Saud Shakeel wrestled back the initiative in Pakistan’s favour. By the 28-over mark Pakistan had reached 158-3 with both middle-order batters reaching their fifties in quick time.

Pakistan encountered two umpiring errors on their road to recovery. Firstly, the 14th over of the Pakistan innings contained just five balls.

Netherlands seamer Paul van Meekeren began the over with three dots to Mohammad Rizwan before a single brought Saud Shakeel on strike. van Meekeran then attempted a short delivery off the fifth ball, pulled across for four by Shakeel.

Neither side spotted the umpiring blunder and the umpires Adrian Holdstock and Chris Brown then quickly moved to the next over.

As per rule 17.5.1 of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) “Men’s One Day International Playing Conditions”: “If the umpire miscounts the number of valid balls, the over as counted by the umpire shall stand.”

Another error occurred eight overs later in Pakistan’s innings. As Shakeel hit a Roelof van der Merwe delivery to the boundary, he and Rizwan immediately signalled to the umpires that the Netherlands had one too many fielders stationed outside the fielding circle.

On this occasion, there was enough time for the umpires to rectify their mistake and no ball was called. The free hit was subsequently hit for six.

This isn’t the first time such incident has occurred in a World Cup match. In February, during a Pakistan-India women’s T20 World Cup match, India was granted a seven-ball over, with Jemimah Rodrigues hitting the extra delivery to the boundary.

Pakistan beat Netherlands by 81 runs in their World Cup 2023 opening match after cleaning them all up in 41 overs for 205 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.

Netherlands won the toss and opted to bowl first. Pakistan’s top order failed miserably as Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam lost their wickets cheaply, leaving Pakistan at 38/3 in 10th over. Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan managed to score 120 runs in a partnership. Pakistan managed to put 286 on the board in 49 overs.

Saud Shakeel was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ award for his 68 off 52 balls.

Babar Azam’s side entered the mega-event as the number two ranked ODI side and enjoys the best win/loss ratio of 2.400 in this World Cup cycle.