"Umpires should keep their eyes open" - Inzamam-ul-Haq suspects Arshdeep Singh was ball tampering in IND vs AUS T20 World Cup Super 8 matchÂ
Inzamam-ul-Haq has accused Arshdeep Singh of ball tampering during India's 24-run win over Australia in the Super 8 match of the 2024 T20 World Cup on Monday, June 24. The former Pakistani captain was surprised to see the left-arm pacer get reverse swing in the 16th over.
The cricketer-turned-expert opined that something was done to the ball by the Indian team, which led to Arshdeep getting reverse swing at that stage of the innings.
Urging the umpires to pay attention to the Men in Blue's tactics, Inzamam said during a discussion on a Pakistani news channel:
"Arshdeep Singh was able to reverse swing even in the 15th over. It is too early. It means that the ball was ready for reverse swing till the 13th over. The umpires should keep their eyes open here too."
Saleem Malik, another ex-Pakistani captain, also echoed the same sentiments as Inzamam. He suggested that the umpires have been partial towards the Indian side.
Recalling how he was fined in Zimbabwe after complaining of the ball being wet, Malik remarked:
"I've always said that the officials close their eyes when it comes to certain teams, India being one of them. I still remember that once when we were playing in Zimbabwe, Wasim made the ball wet. We are all surprised to see one side of the ball being wet. I went and complained to the umpires and I was fined for that."
Arshdeep Singh shone with the ball against Australia, claiming the crucial wickets of David Warner, Tim David, and Matthew Wade. With 15 scalps from six outings, he is India's leading wicket-taker at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
"If the Pakistani bowlers had done something like this, there would have been a lot of noise" - Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam-ul-Haq further stated that there would have been a massive uproar if the Pakistani bowlers had been involved in ball tampering. He claimed that India did some serious work with the ball against Australia.
The 54-year-old reckoned that while Jasprit Bumrah could reverse the ball with minimum help because of his action, it wasn't that easy for someone like Arshdeep Singh.
"If the Pakistani bowlers had done something like this, there would have been a lot of noise. We know reverse swing very well. If Arshdeep can reverse the ball in the 15th over, it means that something serious has been done with the ball. Jasprit Bumrah can extract reverse swing because of his action. For some bowlers, the ball needs to be worked on for them to get reverse swing," Inzamam said during the same discussion.
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian side are currently unbeaten at the 2024 T20 World Cup. They will next face England in the semifinals in Guyana on Thursday, June 27.