Bangladesh blame Kohli of 'fake fielding'

Special Correspondent
Published: 04:17PM. 3 Nov 2022
Bangladesh blame Kohli of 'fake fielding'

Bangladesh have accused ‘fake fielding’ by India's Virat Kohli for their thrilling  Twenty20 World Cup loss and will raise it with cricket's governing body, an official told on Thursday.

India secured a five run- winin the rain-hit Adelaide battle on Wednesday that went to the last ball, and ruined Bangladesh's hopes of reaching the semi-finals for the first time.

Afterwards, Bangladesh batter Hazmul Hasan Shanto alleged that onfield umpires had missed a ‘fake throw’ by Kohli that could have tied the match.

‘It could have been a five-run penalty,’ he told reporters. ‘That also could have gone our way, but unfortunately... that didn't materialise.’

The incident took place in the seventh over of Bangladesh's innings, moments before rain stopped play, when Liton Das played the ball towards the deep off-side field off Axar Patel.

As India's Arshdeep Singh threw the ball back, Kohli -- standing at point -- feigned a throw as the ball whistled past him.

Umpires Marais Erasmus and Chris Brown didn't take action, despite Liton and non-striking batsman Najmul Hossain pointing it out, a Bangladesh Cricket Board official told AFP.

The International Cricket Council is scheduled to hold a board meeting in Melbourne next week during the tournament and Bangladesh will raise the matter ‘if an opportunity comes’, BCB cricket operations chief Jalal Yunus told.

‘We will discuss the issues wherever we get a chance to discuss,’ he added. ‘It's not a protest because there is no benefit of doing it now.’

Yunus also said Bangladesh's chances in the match had been stymied by a slippery pitch after the resumption, halting the openers' momentum after a blazing 21-ball fifty from Liton.

Play resumed after a 45-minute hiatus and Bangladesh were given a revised target of 151 runs from 16 overs, chasing India's 184-6.
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