Bangladeshi fans expressed utmost dejection claiming that the field umpire deprived their side of a win in their second game of the ongoing T20 World Cup against South Africa at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York on Monday.
The incident took place in the 17th over of Bangladesh鈥檚 batting innings when Mahmudullah missed a flick off Ottneil Baartman, which hit his pad and deflected to the boundary.
However, as the umpire raised his finger, the ball was called dead, meaning although the batter got the decision overturned after a review, the runs were not given, as per protocol.
The fans believed that if the umpire hadn鈥檛 given the decision of out, Bangladesh would have registered their second victory on the trot and be on the brink of reaching the Super Eight stage.
鈥業 am utterly disappointed by the umpiring. We missed four runs on the back of their bad decision. The call was wrong, which led us to defeat from a winning situation. To me, it was biased umpiring,鈥� said a fan named Hasib Al Hasan.
Despite that, he hoped that the form Bangladesh have been showing from the first game of the marquee competition would guide them to further victories.
鈥業 hope the momentum from the first match will seal more wins in the upcoming days of this World Cup,鈥� he said.
He further urged cricket diplomats to hold a conversation with the designated bodies regarding these rules to ensure that similar situations do not repeat in such a high-profile game. Another fan named Sayed, also from New York, echoed Hasib.
鈥楾he match was almost in Bangladesh鈥檚 grip. We were close to victory. However, one bad decision ruined our efforts. Umpires should not be making such mistakes,鈥� he said.