Former cricketers and fans raised questions over the third umpire’s decision to give Pakistani batter Fakhar Zaman out caught behind during their Super Four clash against India in the Asia Cup 2025 on Sunday.
The left-handed opener partnered Sahibzada Farhan at the top in the high-stakes game after Pakistan were put in to bat first.
His dismissal came in the third over when Indian wicketkeeper Sanju Samson took a low catch off Hardik Pandya. The Indian side began appealing with subdued celebrations before the on-field umpires referred the decision upstairs, noting the ball’s proximity to the ground as Samson completed the catch.
While replays suggested the ball may have brushed the turf before landing in Samson’s gloves, the third umpire ruled that the wicketkeeper’s fingers were underneath the ball, declaring Zaman out.
However, the decision did not sit well with former Pakistani cricketers and fans as they expressed frustration over the decision.
In a post on X, former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir maintained that the left-handed batter was not out.
“Fakhar was not out, that’s the tweet,” he wrote in his post.
Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry termed the decision “terrible”, saying that the ball hit the ground before the Indian wicketkeeper completed the catch.
“Ball clearly hit the ground first… terrible decision,” he penned in his post on X.
Sports analyst Dr Nauman Niaz slammed the “bizarre” decision to give Fakhar out in the high-stakes game of the Asia Cup.
“It wasn’t a catch – a massive wicket goes down to a pedestrian, bizarre decision. Sad, we have to endure such abysmal decisions despite use of technology,” he wrote.
