Pakistan secured the T20I Tri-Nation Series final victory against Sri Lanka on Saturday, but the match was highlighted by a moment of on-field tension after a controversial third umpire decision angered fielders Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
😠 Controversial Catch Decision
The incident occurred during the 19th over when fast bowler Shaheen Afridi bowled a slower delivery to Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka:
- The Incident: Shanaka got a leading edge, and Fakhar Zaman ran back from short third man to pouch a catch. The grab appeared clean.
- The Verdict: After review, third umpire Rashid Riaz ruled the catch as not out, determining that the ball had made contact with the turf.
- Pakistan’s Reaction: The entire Pakistan team was stunned. Fakhar Zaman charged towards the on-field umpires (Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob) to express his strong displeasure.
🎯 Shaheen’s Instant Redemption and Sarcastic Celebration
Justice for the Pakistani duo was swift, occurring on the very next ball:
- Immediate Dismissal: Shaheen Afridi instantly rattled the stumps of Dasun Shanaka, sending the captain back to the pavilion for 2 runs off seven balls.
- Fiery Celebration: Shaheen was visibly pumped up, and he and Fakhar Zaman engaged in a fiery celebration that included openly mocking the third umpire. They appealed and looked directly in the direction of the third umpire’s box, with Shaheen seemingly asking if that was “good enough for the out verdict.”
🇵🇰 Match Summary: Pakistan Dominates
Pakistan dominated the final match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after winning the toss and opting to field first.
- Sri Lanka Innings: Sri Lanka started strong, reaching 84/1 in the 11th over. However, they suffered a dramatic collapse, losing the remaining nine wickets for just 20 runs. They were eventually bowled out for 114 in 19.1 overs.
- Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz were the stars, returning with three wickets each.
- Top Scorer: Kamil Mishara top-scored for Sri Lanka with 59 runs off 47 balls.
- Pakistan Chase: Pakistan successfully chased the target of 115 with six wickets in hand and eight balls to spare.
- Top Scorer: Opening batter Saim Ayub led the chase with 36 runs off 33 balls.
- Finishers: Captain Babar Azam (37*) and Usman Khan (3*) remained unbeaten to seal the victory.