The T20 cricket series between Australia and Pakistan has been hit by fresh controversy after vision emerged of a blatant rule breach that went unnoticed by the umpires. Pakistan thrashed Australia by 111 runs to complete a 3-0 series sweep, handing the Aussies their biggest-ever loss in a T20 international.
The tourists were comprehensively outplayed on spinning pitches in Pakistan – a worrying sign ahead of this week’s World Cup in Sri Lanka and India. Cooper Connolly made a duck off just two balls in the third match, continuing a horrible run of form at international level for the youngster.
Cooper Connolly was out of his crease, but Khawaja Nafay had the ball in the wrong hand. Image: Fox Cricket
But it turns out he was completely dudded by an incorrect stumping decision. Vision has emerged of the moment Pakistan keeper Khawaja Nafay removed the bails without the ball in his glove.
Nafay did a great job to retrieve the delivery that spun a mile down the leg-side, before dislodging the bails as Connolly tried in vain to get back in his crease. The square-leg official gave Connolly out without using the third umpire, as it looked like a cut-and-dry dismissal.
But replays have now shown the ball wasn’t in Nafay’s glove when he made contact with the stumps. Nafay failed to transfer the ball from one glove to the other before knocking the stumps, so he simply removed the bails with the glove that didn’t contain the ball.
The ball was actually still in his right hand when he hit the stumps with his left. Surprisingly, Nafay didn’t fess up and acted like he didn’t do anything wrong, which convinced the umpire that Connolly was out.
Khawaja Nafay removed the bails with his left glove while the ball was in the right. Image: Willow TV
Cricket fans fume over blatant rule breach
On social media, some have suggested Nafay’s actions were within the rules. However the ICC laws clearly show they weren’t.
Clause 29.2.1 of the ICC rules state: “The wicket is broken fairly if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps or a stump is struck out of the ground – by a fielder with his hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used.”
A wicket-keeper can use their arm to knock the stumps provided the ball is in the glove of that arm. But they can’t use the opposite arm or glove to the one that holds the ball.
Fans have been quick to question why Nafay didn’t admit his mistake considering Pakistan still would have won convincingly. By going through with the appeal and not withdrawing it, the Pakistan player has copped some heavy backlash online.