New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has reignited debate over umpiring standards in the Asia Cup 2025 after Fakhar Zaman’s contentious dismissal during the Super 4 clash against India on Sunday.

Speaking on a panel with Samaa TV, Afridi took a cheeky swipe at the officials, remarking, “They need to work in the IPL also.”

His comments came in the wake of criticism across Pakistan’s cricketing circles over the third-umpire decision that ended Fakhar’s promising innings.

The flashpoint arrived in just the third over of Pakistan’s chase after India opted to bowl first. Fakhar, who had begun confidently with three early boundaries, edged an off-cutter from Hardik Pandya.

Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson dived forward to claim the catch, but replays appeared to show the ball brushing the ground before being gathered cleanly. Following a lengthy review, the third umpire ruled the batter out, leaving Fakhar visibly frustrated.

Backing Afridi, batting legend Mohammad Yousuf rued the timing of the dismissal. “He was our main player, he started off well hitting a few boundaries against world-class bowlers (Jasprit Bumrah),” Yousuf said, suggesting Fakhar’s early aggression could have altered the game’s complexion.

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, addressing reporters after the match, admitted his own doubts. “I don’t really know about the decision. As far as I’m concerned, I thought it bounced. Umpires can make mistakes, and that’s understandable. To me, it looked like it bounced, but I could be wrong,” he said. The captain added that Fakhar’s dismissal robbed Pakistan of momentum. “If he had continued, I felt we could have reached around 190,” Salman noted.

Instead, Pakistan were restricted to 172, with Sahibzada Farhan’s gritty 58 the lone highlight of their innings. India made light work of the chase, powered by Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 74 off 39 balls and Shubman Gill’s fluent 47. The defending champions sealed victory by six wickets with seven balls to spare.

With this setback, Pakistan’s qualification hopes rest on their remaining Super 4 fixtures against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A potential third showdown with India in the final, however, remains on the cards if results swing their way.

–IANS

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