"Pretty hard on us" - Towhid Hridoy criticizes umpiring after heartbreak vs South Africa in 2024 T20 World Cup
Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy has criticized the umpiring at the 2024 men's T20 World Cup match against South Africa on Monday (June 10), which his team lost by four runs despite dominating most of the proceedings. He lamented the dead-ball scenario in the 17th over that deprived Bangladesh of a boundary and said there was room for "improvement" on calls of wides and LBWs.
Ottneil Baartman trapped Mahmudullah in front in the 17th over, with the ball clipping his pads and running to the fine leg fence for four. South Africa appealed for LBW and the umpire raised his finger. The third umpire overturned the decision on Bangladesh's review but the four leg byes were taken away because, according to ICC's rules, the ball is declared dead when the umpire gives it out.
"To be honest that was not a good call for us in such a tight match," Hridoy said after the game. "In my point of view, the umpire gave that out but it was pretty hard on us. Those four runs could have changed the match scenario."
"The laws are not in my hands. In that time those four runs were really important. Umpires can make a call and they are human too and can make mistakes. They also didn't give wides which were wides on a few occasions. In this kind of a venue where low-scoring matches are taking place, one or two runs are a big thing. I think those four runs or two wides are close calls and I was given out on umpire's call and there are room for improvements," he said.
The DRS call being dead law is often considered a loophole for the bowling side. It's there to ensure that the game isn't running unattended when the umpire has declared a batter out but there have been multiple incidents of it negating deserved runs for the batting side.
"I should have finished the match" - Towhid Hridoy
After the 17th over, things started to go south for Bangladesh. Hridoy, their best batter so far in the tournament, got out on the first ball of the next over for 37 (34) with umpire Richard Illingworth raising his finger to a half-appeal from the South Africans and then seeing the LBW call read 'Umpire's Call'.
Even then, Bangladesh needed 20 runs off 17 balls but failed to find a single boundary and lost the game.
"Actually we were very much confident with that score and from that position I should have finished the match," Hridoy said. "It is difficult for new battter to go and adjust to the conditions. In that position I should have finished the match."
A win would have all but sealed qualification to the Super-Eights for Bangladesh. But now, South Africa are through to the next round while Bangladesh need to win their remaining two games.