MELBOURNE: Pakistan coach Mohammad Hafeez said technology was “putting a curse” on cricket after seeing Mohammad Rizwan dismissed following a lengthy review in the visitors’ 79-run defeat to Australia in the second Test on Friday.

       Set an imposing victory target of 317 runs on day four at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Rizwan (35) and Agha Salman (50) put together a substantial stand of 57 before Pat Cummins separated the pair to leave Pakistan on 219/6.

       Cummins’ delivery glanced Rizwan’s glove before carrying through to wicket-keeper Alex Carey, but Australia’s appeal was initially turned down.

       The third umpire then overturned the on-field decision following a review which took several minutes and examined the incident from a number of different angles.

       After Rizwan’s dismissal, Pakistan lost their last four wickets in quick succession as Australia sealed the win and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.

       “We play this beautiful game of cricket on the basics of the game but sometimes the technology brings some decisions which obviously as a human we don’t understand...,” Hafeez told reporters after the defeat. “He (Rizwan) is a very honest person and he said to me he did not even feel that it touched anywhere near the gloves.

       “There should be conclusive evidence to reverse the decision of an umpire... and there was no very conclusive kind of evidence. Technology is basically putting the curse on this beautiful game of cricket.”

       Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2023