Brad Haddin & Australia's appeal for hit wicket against Umar Akmal causes controversy
The ongoing 3rd quarter-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup between Pakistan and Australia was the subject of some controversy when the Aussies appealed for hit wicket against Umar Akmal. On the final ball of the 26th over of Pakistan’s innings, Akmal hit a spanking square cut for four off the bowling of off-spinner Glenn Maxwell but just as he was finishing his stroke, the bails were disturbed leading to the belief that the Pakistani batsman had accidentally hit the stumps with his bat.
The on-field umpires, Kumar Dharmasena and Marais Erasmus, decided to consult the 3rd umpire and replays clearly showed that Akmal was nowhere close to the stumps, with wicketkeeper Brad Haddin instead touching the stumps with his gloves.
Twitter was abuzz with reactions to the incident, with many insinuating that Haddin tried to dupe the umpires.
Brad Haddin, not in this day and age please. Thanks, The Spirit of the Game. #Akmal
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 20, 2015
Astonishing from Haddin. Flicks off bail and claims hit-wicket. Appalling. #cwc15 #ausvpak
— Guerilla Cricket (@guerillacricket) March 20, 2015
There are a few, though, including eminent Australian cricket journalist Peter Lalor, who were willing to give Haddin the benefit of the doubt in this case.
I might be gullible but I can't believe people are calling Haddin a cheat. Way I saw it he was indicating he wasn't sure what happened.
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) March 20, 2015
To be fair to Haddin, he did seem to indicate to the umpires that he wasn’t sure what had happened, with Maxwell and the other Australian fielders being the ones who went up in unison for the appeal. Watch the video of the incident here.
Perhaps, the fact that Haddin has been guilty of being at the centre of another such controversy in the past, during an ODI series between Australia and New Zealand in February 2009, is what has led to aspersions being cast on the wicketkeeper-batsman. On that occasion, New Zealand batsman Neil Broom appeared to be clean bowled by Michael Clarke and quietly walked off.
However, on another look, it became quite clear that Broom was wrongly declared out as Haddin had knocked off the stumps with his own gloves rather than the ball.
Watch the video below: