Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has accused the umpire of making an unfair decision regarding Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal after Pakistan’s six-wicket loss to India in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match in Dubai. Akhtar said that a poor third-umpire call ended Fakhar’s innings too soon, which might have changed the result.
Speaking on Pakistani channel Tapmad, Akhtar said, “Fakhar wasn’t out. If there was a split decision on the review, the benefit of the doubt should have gone his way. But what are the chances that they check it using the midwicket camera? There are 26 cameras, but somehow the right angle isn’tavailable. Wow! And then they just looked at two angles and gave him out. Who knows, if Fakhar had stayed at the crease, the match might have turned out differently. Umpiring standard was a joke. The ball clearly hit the ground first. The glove was not underneath at all.”
Fakhar got out in the third over, scoring 15 off nine balls after Pakistan were sent to bat. Hardik Pandya bowled a slower ball around 131 kph which stuck a bit on the pitch. Fakhar tried to play forward but got an edge.
Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson dived low and caught the ball, with his gloves very close to the ground. He managed to complete the catch and quickly high-fived Hardik. The umpires checked the replay and slowed it down.
The third umpire decided that Samson’s gloves were under the ball. Fakhar was unhappy and tapped his pad as he walked off with the score at 21 for 1.
Pakistan still managed to score 171/6, with the help of Sahibzada Farhan’s half-century. But India’s openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill smashed a 105-run partnership, and Tilak Varma finished the chase with seven balls left, continuing India’s winning streak in the Asia Cup 2025.
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