In a surprise turn of events, former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq hit back at Rohit Sharma following a ball-tampering allegation. The incident began when Inzamam noticed reverse swing by Arshdeep Singh in the 15th over against Australia during the Super 8 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
After India won the match by 24 runs, Inzamam suggested that “serious work was done on the ball.” Indian skipper Rohit Sharma responded by explaining the nuances of reverse swing under sunny conditions. However, Inzamam emphasized that his main concern was to urge umpires to be more vigilant about the situation.
“We shall definitely use our brains, but the first thing is that he (Rohit) admitted that it’s happening. So it means what we observed is correct. Secondly, Rohit does not need to tell us how reverse swing works, under how much sun, on what pitch; you don’t teach something to someone who actually taught it to the world. Tell him it’s not right to say these things,” Pakistan’s 24 News HD quoted Inzamam as saying.
Inzamam reiterated his stance, urging umpires to “keep their eyes open” and maintain vigilance. Another former Pakistan cricketer, Salim Malik, supported Inzamam’s claims, alleging similar wrongdoings during his playing days.
Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag opined that there was no need for the reporter to escalate the matter and create controversy, though he mentioned he would have refrained from making such comments if he were in Rohit’s shoes. Meanwhile, India has reached the finals of the T20 World Cup 2024 and will face South Africa for the trophy on June 29 at Barbados.
