PCB files official complaint against Umpire over Fakhar Zaman’s unfair out
DUBAI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against TV umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge over Fakhar Zaman’s controversial dismissal during Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against India in Dubai.
Pakistan’s T20I captain, Salman Ali Agha, also filed a negative report on the decision. Speaking to the media, he expressed his disappointment and said it looked like the ball had bounced before being collected. He added, “The way Fakhar was batting, if he had continued through the power play, we could have scored around 190.”
Fakhar, who was looking in fine touch with 15 runs off nine balls, was declared caught behind in the third over. Hardik Pandya’s slower ball found the edge of his bat, and Sanju Samson claimed the catch behind the stumps.
The third umpire reviewed the footage at length to see if the ball had touched the ground before reaching Samson. Despite doubts, Fakhar was ruled out, leaving him stunned as he walked back.
The decision sparked immediate debate. Commentators Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis both questioned the call, while fans and former cricketers voiced their concerns on social media. Even Indian journalist Rahul Rawat suggested Fakhar might have been wrongly given out, saying the ball appeared to touch the ground before reaching the keeper’s gloves.
