‘In 150 years of cricket, no umpire will do that…’: Ex-India players say Bangladesh wronged against South Africa

Former India cricketers Wasim Jaffer and Ambati Rayudu heavily criticized umpire Sam Nogajski for his poor decision in the 17th over of Bangladesh’s chase in a T20 World Cup Group D match against South Africa in New York on Monday. Nogajski gave Mahmudullah out after South Africa pacer Ottneil Baartman wrapped the Bangladesh batter on the pads with a fuller-length delivery that was swinging in. The ball raced away to the fine leg boundary for a four but because Mahmudullah was given out, the ball got dead and runs didn’t count.

Now, here came the interesting part that got the cricketing world debating. Mahmudullah immediately requested a review. Replays confirmed that the ball would have missed the stumps by some distance. The decision was overturned, but Bangladesh lost four extra runs.

According to the game laws, the ball is considered “dead” as soon as the umpire raises his finger, and it stays dead even if the decision is overturned on DRS. Bangladesh lost the match by exactly four runs as South Africa successfully defended 113.

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer, who also worked as a batting coach for the Bangladesh U19 team, said Mahmudullah was wronged and that lawmakers should examine the dead ball rule.

“Mahmudullah was wrongly given out LBW, the ball went for four leg byes. The decision was reversed on DRS. Bangladesh didn’t get the 4 runs as ball is dead once batter given out, even if wrongly. And SA ended up winning the game by 4 runs. Feel for Bangladesh fans,” Jaffer wrote on X.

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu blamed the umpire. “In 150 years of cricket, will ever you see an umpire giving that out? You won’t. That was a terrible decision. Just because a part of the leg stump is visible doesn’t mean you will give the batter out. You also need to look at the angle of the ball, from where it was delivered,” Rayudu said on Star Sports.

Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy also agreed that those four runs could have made the difference in the match. “To be honest that was not a good call for us in such a tight match. In my point of view, the umpire gave that out but it was pretty hard on us. Those four runs could have changed the match scenario,” Hridoy told reporters following the game.

South Africa were restricted to 113-6 in their 20 overs with Heinrich Klaasen top-scoring on 46 while fast bowler Tanzim Hasan Sakib returned a career-best 3-18.

However, Bangladesh could only manage 109-7 in reply as South Africa wrapped up a third win in three Group D games.