Former Pakistani cricketer Hasan Raza has been at the receiving end of criticism and trolling over his bizarre claim that ICC is giving “different and suspicious” balls to Indian bowlers in World Cup 2023. Reacting to Hasan Raza’s baseless and senseless assertion, former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram lambasted Hasan Raza saying that he too wants to try the same stuff these people (Hasan Raza) are smoking.
He further slammed Hasan Raza by saying that if Raza wants to get humiliated, he should not do the same to Pakistan in front of the entire world.
“I have been reading about it in the last couple of days. I want to have the same thing these guys are having. Sounds like fun. Because their mind is not there. Beizzati karani hi hai saddi bhi na karao duniya vich (If you want to get yourselves humiliated, don’t do the same to us in front of the entire world),” said Wasim in a program on a Pakistani sports channel.
He went on to describe how the balls are chosen before a cricket match. According to Akram, the side that bowls first selects two new balls and keeps two possibilities, while the umpires and match referees keep a watchful eye.
“It’s a very simple thing. The umpire goes to the team that is bowling first after the toss with a box filled with 12 balls. There would the four umpires and the referee and a few other people. If I am bowling first then I will pick one ball as my first option and the other as my second option. Both options the umpire keeps with himself, the second option is right there. He then takes the box to the other dressing room, with a lot of people with him. They also pick two balls. They go to the fourth umpire and in that same room the referee and a few other people also sit and show the two options. So who comes up with all this (the conspiracy theories)?” he said.
Legendary pacer @wasimakramlive comments on #HasanRaza's statement on Indian bowlers, being given different balls to bowl.#ASportsHD #ARYZAP #CWC23 #ThePavilion #ShoaibMalik #MoinKhan #FakhreAlam #MisbahulHaq #AskThePavilion pic.twitter.com/uJ9YU9V745
— ASports (@asportstvpk) November 3, 2023
The former Pakistani pacer also opined that India’s pacers should be praised for their efforts. “The argument for the past few days, especially in our country, has been that none of the bowlers can get a swing like this. But why not understand that these Indian bowlers have learned something more and maybe they are better right now?” he remarked.
Furthermore, Akram asserted that there is no device in the ball and that it cannot be swung with a device inserted in it. “There is no device in the ball. You can’t swing the ball with a device. For argument’s sake if you are trying to swing the ball we can say one is a heavy side, while the other is light side, but you can’t swing the ball with a device,” Akram said.
Other than Wasim Akram, former India opener Aakash Chopra also questioned the credibility of the TV news show in which Hasan Raza made the controversial comments.
“Is it a serious cricket show? If not, please mention ‘satire’ ‘comedy’ in English somewhere. I mean…it might be written in Urdu already but unfortunately, I can’t read/understand it,” Chopra posted on X.
Is it a serious cricket show? If not, please mention ‘satire’ ‘comedy’ in English somewhere. I mean…it might be written in Urdu already but unfortunately, I can’t read/understand it. 🙏🏽 https://t.co/BXnmCpgbXy
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 3, 2023
Amusingly, Hasan Raza responded to Chopra’s reaction on the same show continuing to brazen it out saying that it was his “opinion” and he went on to boast his cricket records, however, he did not mention about being notorious for his involvement in spot fixing.
Hasan Raza responds to @cricketaakash and says it's his own opinion and ICC should investigate the issue re giving different balls to Indian bowlers. He also says Bollywood made a movie on him Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii. There you go 🔥 #CWC23 #PAKvsNZ pic.twitter.com/EwDPL1zMNZ
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) November 4, 2023
The controversy erupted after Hasan Raza while appearing on a Pakistani news channel on Thursday said that ICC or BCCI is providing some special kind of balls only to Indian bowlers due to which Indian bowlers like Shami and Siraj are getting swing even on batting pitches. Hasan Raza also asserted that there should be an ‘inspection’ of balls provided by the ICC. Hasan Raza also alleged that decisions are being made in favour of India in the matter of DRS.
