KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to take up the matter pertaining to umpiring and use of technology with the International Cricket Council (ICC) following the controversial dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan in the second Test of the ongoing series against Australia at Melbourne, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Saturday.

       On Friday, the on-field umpire refused to give Pakistan wicket-keeper/batter Rizwan out after Australian captain and pacer Pat Cummins appealed for a caught behind at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. But the home side managed to overturn the decision through the Decision Review System (DRS).

       However, the Pakistan camp was less than happy about the reversal of the decision after the ‘Snickometer’ showed a spike on it when the ball was just above the wrist of Rizwan.

       According to the PTI report, a reliable source within the PCB said that its head Zaka Ashraf had a conversation with team director Mohammad Hafeez, who conveyed some points to him about the umpiring and the use of technology during the Melbourne Test which Pakistan lost by 79 runs on Friday. By winning this Test, Australia clinched the three-match series.

       The PCB is all set to raise the points raised by Hafeez with the game’s global governing body.

       All rules and regulations governing cricket and the use of technology on the field is approved by the ICC Executive Board after being vetted by the MCC Cricket Committee and ICC Cricket Committee.

       Hafeez was visibly upset during the post-match press conference at the MCG on Friday, while emphasising the need to highlight inconsistent umpiring and the challenges of technology which had influenced the outcome of the Test. Pakistan lost the series opener by 360 runs in Perth.

       The third Test will be staged in Sydney from Jan 3 to 7.

       Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2023