Pakistan filed an official complaint with match referee Neeyamur Rashid after the series-deciding third ODI in Dhaka on Sunday. The team accused umpire Kumar Dharmasena of allowing Bangladesh an illegal review off the penultimate ball.
Shaheen Afridi’s side fell 11 runs short of Bangladesh’s 291-run target. Bangladesh won the series 2-1 at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
What Happened on the Controversial Penultimate Delivery
Pakistan needed 12 runs off the last two balls. Rishad Hossain bowled a flighted delivery on leg stump that spun down the leg side. Dharmasena called it a wide immediately.
Bangladesh then chose to review the decision for LBW despite the ball missing Afridi’s pads entirely. UltraEdge showed a spike as the ball passed the bottom of the bat.
The evidence suggested a faint edge off the toe end. Dharmasena overturned the wide call. Pakistan now needed 12 off just one delivery. Afridi got stumped off the final ball and slammed his bat in frustration. Bangladesh sealed a memorable series victory.
Why Pakistan Are Challenging the Review Decision
Pakistan’s management accused the match officials of breaking standard review protocols. They argued Bangladesh took the review after the stadium’s big screen showed a replay of the delivery.
Normal rules require teams to decide on reviews before any replays appear on screen. Pakistan believes the replay revealed bat contact and influenced Bangladesh’s decision.
The PCB also raised concerns about the 15-second review window. They believe Bangladesh exceeded the mandatory time limit for lodging the appeal. No timer appeared on the broadcast during the incident. This makes independent verification of the timing impossible.
Second Controversial Decision in Consecutive Matches
This complaint follows another contentious moment from the second ODI. Salman Ali Agha tried to hand the ball back to Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Mehidy grabbed it and broke the stumps with Agha outside his crease. The third umpire gave Agha out.
Agha reacted furiously and earned a demerit point. He also received a 50 percent match fee fine for his outburst. Mehidy paid a 20 percent fine for his role in the incident.
Pakistan wants the match referee to publicly acknowledge the protocol breach. The PCB has not yet clarified what further action they expect from the ICC.
