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It was a riveting contest between England and Pakistan on Day 4 of the Multan Test. Saud Shakeel was the immovable rock between England and a win in Multan but a controversial decision meant that his stupendous knock in run chase came to an abrupt end. Like many Pakistan cricket fans, skipper Babar Azam was not happy with the call made by third umpire Joel Wilson. In the post-match press conference, he voiced his opinion that led to Pakistan’s 26-run loss against Ben Stokes’ England.
"The Shakeel dismissal cost us," he said. “It looked to us as if the ball had touched the ground. As a professional, you have to respect the umpire's decision, but we felt the ball had been grounded.”
Shakeel’s innings came to an end in the 94th over of the innings just before the lunch break. Mark Wood bowled a short one down the leg side and Shakeel tried to pull it but managed just a deft edge. Wicketkeeper Ollie Pope dived to his right and the on-field umpire’s soft signal was out.
In the replays, it was not clear whether the ball had touched the ground or landed straight into his gloves. Due to lack of evidence to overturn the decision, the umpire did not change the on-field decision.
Shakeel missed his maiden Test ton. He scored 94 runs from 213 deliveries in the eight overs and for the most part anchored the run chase. After Shakeel’s wicket, Pakistan came close to the target but could not get over the line as the trio of Wood, Ollie Robinson and James Anderson took one wicket each in the second session to help England win the Test and with it the series.
“We were not up to the mark in the first innings. There were a couple of soft dismissals but were well short of the mark. We fought back with the ball and bat in the second innings but it was not enough. There were a couple of good partnerships but in the end we did not finish well as a batting unit,” Babar said in the post-match presentation.
