Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has stirred controversy by accusing India of ball tampering during their Super 8 match against Australia on Monday. Inzamam alleged that the ball began to reverse swing unusually early in the match, suggesting foul play.
“Arshdeep Singh, bowling in the 15th over, had the ball reversing. This is very early for reverse swing, indicating some serious work on the ball beforehand,” Inzamam stated on Pakistani news channel 24 News. He criticized umpires for not being vigilant enough and implied bias in overlooking such incidents, contrasting it with the scrutiny Pakistani bowlers face in similar situations.
Backing Inzamam’s claims, former player Saleem Malik echoed concerns of preferential treatment towards certain teams, particularly India. “Eyes are kept shut when it comes to some teams, and India is one of those teams,” Malik remarked, recalling an incident involving Wasim Akram in Zimbabwe where he was penalized for similar actions.
India’s victory over Australia by 26 runs effectively knocked Australia out of the Super 8 stage, with Afghanistan subsequently confirming their exit and securing a semifinal berth by defeating Bangladesh.
Afghanistan, set to play South Africa in the semifinals, aims to reach their maiden ICC Men’s tournament final. Meanwhile, India will face England in the second semifinal, a rematch of the 2022 T20 World Cup where England emerged victorious by 10 wickets.
Both semifinal matches are scheduled for June 27 (IST), promising intense competition as teams vie for a spot in the tournament final.
