IND vs PAK 2022: "Should have consulted third umpire" - Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis question umpires over Virat Kohli no-ball controversy

A contentious no-ball call was one of the talking points as India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by four wickets in a nail-biting contest at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, October 23.

Former India captain Virat Kohli's phenomenal innings of 82* off 53 balls paved the way for India's unforgettable comeback in their first game of the T20 World Cup 2022.

In the third ball of the final over, Mohammad Nawaz bowled a high full toss to Kohli. The Indian batting kingpin dispatched it over deep square leg for a six despite the fielder attempting to push it back.

Kohli signaled the square leg umpire for a no-ball to be above the waist. Marais Erasmus, the umpire stationed at square leg, later called it an unfair delivery.

A few Pakistani players led by skipper Babar Azam immediately rushed towards the umpires to discuss the matter. However, the umpires did not change their decision, and consequently, India needed six off three balls in the 160-run chase.

Speaking to A Sports, legendary Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram defended Kohli for asking for a no-ball, but slammed the onfield officials for ignoring the intervention of the third umpire.

"There is no fault of Virat Kohli. Any batter would have asked the umpire about it. It is such a big game and you have a technology (to check close calls). Go use technology. Why proceed unnecessarily? Why clear up things unnecessarily? And these two are the most experienced umpires," Akram said.

He further added:

"It's kind of touch and go. I feel it wasn't a no-ball but if you see it in slow motion then it looks like a no-ball. So there is a technology and we can use it."

Former Pakistan speedster Waqar Younis pointed out that Erasmus failed to signal a no-ball at the point when Kohli's bat connected with the ball.

While explaining the duties of a square leg umpire in this specific context, Waqar said:

"Normally the square leg umpire's job is to observe the ball above the waist height because he is looking at the batsman and trajectory of the ball also. If he sees the ball going above the head also then he is the one who signals it wide and indicates to the umpire at the front. When the ball is above waist height, his reaction is that the hand comes out and that's the natural reaction.

He added:

"If you look at it in the last replay, he (Erasmus) just turned around and looked at the ball sailing for six. It was then called when Virat Kohli asked for it. The arms should have come right now (while signalling at the timing of the video clip).

Waqar chose to be non-committal about the contentious call but was of the opinion that the square-leg umpire should have referred the decision upstairs.

"I am not saying and I don't want to say whether it's a no-ball or not. I don't want to get into this controversy. If the umpire realises at the moment the ball has contacted the bat then it should have been called there and then. I still feel it is the right of Virat Kohli to ask for the no-ball and he did. The leg umpire should have consulted with the front-on umpire and they should have gone upstairs," Waqar concluded.

India will face the Netherlands on October 27 at the SCG, while Pakistan will meet Zimbabawe on the same day in Perth.