"What a lazy and cheap way to give the opposition your wicket" - Fans split over Imam-ul-Haq's controversial stumping decision

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Niroshan Dickwella waited for Imam-ul-Haq to raise his back leg before dislodging the bails. (P.C.:Twitter)

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq was involved in a controversial dismissal on Day 4 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle on Tuesday. The 26-year-old had already added 87 runs with fellow opener Abdullah Shafique as the visitors had a great start to their marathon chase.

In the 29th over of the chase, however, the southpaw was stumped off the bowling of off-spinner Ramesh Mendis. Imam played well within the line of the delivery that spun away from him and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella collected it.

Imam thought the ball might have been dead and shifted his focus to marking his guard for the next delivery. However, while transferring the weight on his front foot, he lifted his back leg ever so slightly and had no idea that Dickwella was probably waiting to whip the bails off.

The wicketkeeper disloged the bails just as his foot went up in the air and the umpire had to adjudge him out.

Some fans on Twitter slammed Imam-ul-Haq for being a bit 'lazy' and unaware that the ball wasn't technically dead. Meanwhile, there were others who felt Dickwella didn't play within the spirit of the game.

Here are some of the reactions:

Aruba//Babar Stan🇵🇰

@arubah56

De Kock & Dickwella,i hate both of you
#JusticeForImam #PAKvsSL

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De Kock & Dickwella,i hate both of you😭🔪
#JusticeForImam #PAKvsSL https://t.co/F50lKKWCJJ

Vasif Abbas 🏴🇵🇰🇵🇸

@VasifAbbas

The more I see Imam's dismissal, the uglier it looks.
Imam wasn't sloppy or unlucky.
This is just poor sportsmanship from SL. The ball was dead, batter wasn't attempting a run, the action finished. It wasn't smart but rather unsporting move from dickwella.
#PAKvsSL #imam

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The more I see Imam's dismissal, the uglier it looks.
Imam wasn't sloppy or unlucky.
This is just poor sportsmanship from SL. The ball was dead, batter wasn't attempting a run, the action finished. It wasn't smart but rather unsporting move from dickwella.
#PAKvsSL #imam https://t.co/Ycm7CF5h1Z

One minute down, next minute up 🇵🇰

@cricketroars

Watching the replay of imam ul haq wicket, that was just stupid. That shouldn’t be allowed in cricket. It Reminds me of the Fakahar run out. Where the hell is the sportsmanship from Dickwella.

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Watching the replay of imam ul haq wicket, that was just stupid. That shouldn’t be allowed in cricket. It Reminds me of the Fakahar run out. Where the hell is the sportsmanship from Dickwella.

Asad Abdullah

@asad_qureshi257

Dickwella has done this before too and he was fined for it.

#PAKvSL

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Dickwella has done this before too and he was fined for it.

#PAKvSL https://t.co/m7JD4dwXbK

Adnan

@crickethougts

I think Canda wicketkeeper got banned in 2011 world cup by doing the same thing.
Dickwella deserve a ban also. twitter.com/Ahsan_Shehzad_…

Ahsan Shehzad🇵🇰🇵🇸

@Ahsan_Shehzad_

Take a look at this shit man, he was juggling the fucking balls, how is this not a dead ball now?? Plss

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Take a look at this shit man, he was juggling the fucking balls, how is this not a dead ball now?? Plss https://t.co/TRccQ2Linl

I think Canda wicketkeeper got banned in 2011 world cup by doing the same thing.
Dickwella deserve a ban also. twitter.com/Ahsan_Shehzad_…

cricketingview

@cricketingview

This is a brilliant stumping every hour of every day of the week. The ball is in play. The batter overbalances and them makes things worse by lifting his back leg to mark his guard. Dickwella is alive to it, he's probably been scouting it for several overs
twitter.com/MAnasAli2000/s…

_Anas x Babar_ ✳

@MAnasAli2000

That. Is. Not. A. Stumping.

Absolute nonsense when you see how Dickwella takes the ball and it essentially becomes dead.
@ICC

#SLvsPAK #PAKvsSL
#Notfair

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6

That. Is. Not. A. Stumping.

Absolute nonsense when you see how Dickwella takes the ball and it essentially becomes dead.
@ICC

#SLvsPAK #PAKvsSL
#Notfair https://t.co/4jRQYLt52w

This is a brilliant stumping every hour of every day of the week. The ball is in play. The batter overbalances and them makes things worse by lifting his back leg to mark his guard. Dickwella is alive to it, he's probably been scouting it for several overs
twitter.com/MAnasAli2000/s…

Aruba//Babar Stan🇵🇰

@arubah56

Imam after knowing that he wasn't out

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Imam after knowing that he wasn't out🔪 https://t.co/diX7TQ76wQ

Taimoor Zaman

@taimoorze

Sri Lankan Wicket Keeper Dickwella should be fined. Imam's stump was not right n now he is trying to stump Babar Azam the same way by just waiting for him to raise his foot. I dont think this is in the spirit of the game. Dude the ball is dead. You cant do that. #SLvPAK

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Sri Lankan Wicket Keeper Dickwella should be fined. Imam's stump was not right n now he is trying to stump Babar Azam the same way by just waiting for him to raise his foot. I dont think this is in the spirit of the game. Dude the ball is dead. You cant do that. #SLvPAK

Ahmer Najeeb

@AhmerNajeeb

Clarification on Imam dismissal as per rule.

This is out because ball is not as long it is in the hands of the wicketkeeper. If wicketkeeping collects it and throws it to the fielder then it is assumed ball is dead.

#PAKvSL #imam

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Clarification on Imam dismissal as per rule.

This is out because ball is not as long it is in the hands of the wicketkeeper. If wicketkeeping collects it and throws it to the fielder then it is assumed ball is dead.

#PAKvSL #imam

https://t.co/y2BTVvWnZm

Shahid Hashmi

@hashmi_shahid

Very, very unfortunate dismissal of Imam ul Haq… should not have roamed around at the crease … square leg camera gave conclusive evidence to TV umpire … unnecessary ! #Srivspak

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Very, very unfortunate dismissal of Imam ul Haq… should not have roamed around at the crease … square leg camera gave conclusive evidence to TV umpire … unnecessary ! #Srivspak

Grassroots Cricket

@grassrootscric

Commentator HD Ackerman points out that Imam-ul-Haq didn't over balance but shifted his weight to mark his guard (possibly believing the ball was dead). He compares the incident to the run out rule where the batsman can't be run out if the bat bounces after reaching the crease. twitter.com/grassrootscric…

Grassroots Cricket

@grassrootscric

Imam's back foot is on the ground
Keeper waits
Imam shifts his weight to the front foot
Keeper affects stumping with shoe perhaps marginally off the ground

Fair mode of dismissal?

#SLvPAK

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➡️ Imam's back foot is on the ground
➡️ Keeper waits
➡️ Imam shifts his weight to the front foot
➡️ Keeper affects stumping with shoe perhaps marginally off the ground

Fair mode of dismissal?

#SLvPAK https://t.co/Q5Z1lljmfy

Commentator HD Ackerman points out that Imam-ul-Haq didn't over balance but shifted his weight to mark his guard (possibly believing the ball was dead). He compares the incident to the run out rule where the batsman can't be run out if the bat bounces after reaching the crease. twitter.com/grassrootscric… https://t.co/fK33hsFGhC

Saj Sadiq

@SajSadiqCricket

What a lazy and cheap way to give the opposition your wicket. Imam just stood there with his foot in the air and the wicket-keeper says thanks very much #SLvsPAK #Cricket

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What a lazy and cheap way to give the opposition your wicket. Imam just stood there with his foot in the air and the wicket-keeper says thanks very much #SLvsPAK #Cricket https://t.co/VuQCYsbSJO

Osman Samiuddin

@OsmanSamiuddin

Just saw Imam stumping. One for the family collection for sure.

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Just saw Imam stumping. One for the family collection for sure.

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Pakistan well on track despite Imam-ul-Haq's wicket

With the wickets of Imam and then Azhar Ali, Sri Lanka might have thought that they were back in the game. While there are still a lot of runs to be scored, Pakistan have placed themselves in a great position, thanks to a fantastic partnership between Abdullah Shafique and captain Babar Azam.

The hosts haven't got much bite off the surface and that probably might have helped Babar and Shafique bat with relative comfort. Shafique completed a fantastic hundred while Babar made a solid 55 runs to guide Pakistan to 222/3 at stumps on Day 4.

They now need 120 runs from 90 overs of play on the final day to win the Test.

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