Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has sparked controversy by questioning the legitimacy of Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh’s ability to reverse swing the ball as early as the 15th over in their recent Super 8 Group 1 fixture against Australia.
Talking in a TV show, the star batter Inzamam expressed concerns that the ball was reversing too early, suggesting that the umpires should be more vigilant in monitoring such occurrences.
He pointed out that if the ball was reversing by the 15th over, it would imply that the ball was prepared for reverse swing by the 12th or 13th over. Inzamam’s comments have raised eyebrows, with some interpreting them as an insinuation of foul play.
“Arshdeep Singh when he was bowling the 15th over, the ball was reversing. is it too early (for reverse swing) with the new ball? This means the ball was ready for reverse swing by the 12th or the 13th over, Umpires should keep their eyes open (to spot) these things,” Inzamam-ul-Haq said.
Inzamam’s former teammate, Salim Malik, who was banned from cricket for match-fixing in 2000, expressed same concerns. Malik claimed that umpires often turn a blind eye to such incidents when it comes to certain teams, including India.
Malik recalled an incident in Zimbabwe where Wasim Akram was bowling, and the ball was made wet, leading to a complaint and subsequent fine.
Inzamam-ul-Haq further emphasized that if Pakistani bowlers had achieved similar reverse swing, it would have sparked a major controversy.
“If it was Pakistani bowlers (reverse swinging the ball) this would have become a big issue,” Inzi added.
