Dhaka: Wading into the controversy over umpiring decisions in Bangladesh’s World Cup quarterfinal loss to India, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said everyone has seen how the Mashrafe Mortaza-led side was “made to lose”. During a function organised by Bangladeshi expatriates in Melbourne for the national team, Prime Minister Hasina called Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan and greeted the players on the phone. When Hassan connected a loudspeaker to the phone, Hasina said, “We would have won if the umpires did not give wrong decisions. Inshaallah, Bangladesh will win in the future. Bangladesh will become world champions someday.” She praised the cricketers for their performance in the tournament and hoped they would be able to carry forward the momentum they had in the World Cup. Hasina told captain Mortaza and his boys not to be upset. “There’s nothing to be upset. Everyone has seen how we were made to lose. We will win in the future,” she was quoted as saying by BD News. Bangladesh were handed a 109-run thrashing by India in the quarterfinal match at the MCG. The only dramatic moment in what was otherwise a clinical Indian performance was when centurion Rohit Sharma got a close no-ball reprieve. Rohit was on an individual score of 90 and team total on 196 in the 40th over bowled by Rubel Hossain when a marginal ‘no-ball’ call went in favour of the Indian opener. Rohit went onto add another 47 runs in quick time to help India go past 300-run mark.
Ian Gould was the umpire who adjudged Rubel’s full-toss as waist high ‘no-ball’ with Rohit being holed out at deep mid-wicket boundary. However, TV replays showed that it was a real touch-and-go situation which could have gone either way.
BCB has said it will protest the umpiring in its report to the ICC. Protests erupted in Bangladesh after the loss with fans voicing their displeasure with the umpiring. Bangladesh captain Mortaza had also expressed his displeasure at a few decisions going against his side. International Cricket Council (ICC) president Mustafa Kamal, a Bangladeshi, also joined the protest saying, “If needed, I will resign from the ICC. Speaking as fan, it appears to me that it (ICC) has become Indian Cricket Council. There needs to be an investigation. A result was forced on us today.” Rejecting its own President’s criticism of the umpiring during Bangladesh’s World Cup quarterfinal loss to India, the ICC yesterday said Kamal’s outburst against the match officials was “unfortunate” and “baseless”. (PTI)
