Pakistan and South Africa played out a thriller in Chennai in a crunch 2023 Cricket World Cup game on Friday. South Africa won by 1-wicket in what was a genuinely close game.
Batting first, Pakistan scored 270 runs on the board. Babar Azam & Co. were bundled up for 270 in under 47 overs. Babar Azam (50) and Saud Shakeel (52) scored well-crafted half-centuries. All-rounder Shadab Khan scored 43 runs off his blade too. Chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi picked up a 4-fer in his ten-over spell.
In response, South Africa escaped from the jaws of defeat. The Proteas recorded a close one-wicket victory over their opponents. Aiden Markram was the pick of the batters, scoring 91 runs. Shaheen Afridi picked three wickets, with Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim, and Usama Mir bagging two wickets each.
Why is Alex Wharf in the centre of the controversy?
The game was officiated on the field by umpires Alex Wharf and Paul Reiffel. But the controversy in the game was sparked by a decision by Alex Wharf.
South Africa's No. 11 Tabraiz Shamsi given "Not Out" by on-field umpire Alex Wharf after Haris Rauf struck him on the pads. Pakistan decided to challenge the call and found out that The Proteas were still 8 runs short of the target at this point with only 1 wicket left. And if the umpire had given him out, the call would have stood and Pakistan would have won.
This has sparked many pundits and ex-players to claim that umpire's call should not be used in the DRS process and Alex Wharf has come under the scanner for his decision.
MORE: Cricket World Cup 2023 full schedule of fixtures and results
Who is Alex Wharf - The umpire in the match between South Africa and Pakistan?
Alex Wharf is a former England Cricketer, who has resorted to umpiring in his post-retirement days. The 48-year-old was born in Bradford in England, and played for his home county Yorkshire in his early days.
Wharf was a bowling all-rounder, with 6 First Class hundreds to his name. He has picked over 500 wickets in his career.
Bowling Style: Wharf had been a Right Arm Pacer for England and Yorkshire. He played for Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Glamorgan Counties in England.
ODI Debut: Wharf made his England ODI Debut against India in Nottingham in 2004. The debutant made a significant impact, picking three wickets in his first-ever game for England. Wharf was awarded the Man of the Match for his efforts. He ended with figures of 3/30. He picked the wickets of Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, and Rahul Dravid on his debut. Not bad, right?!
Nickname: Wharf earned the nickname 'Gangter' from his friends. Wharf admitted that he had carried his nickname from the early days, and on his debut, he revealed he wanted to get rid of the ludicrous nickname.
Early Cricket Days: He grew up playing for Yorkshire, before representing Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan.
Local Success: Alex Wharf has an impressive record while playing domestic cricket in England. He picked 293 wickets in 121 First Class matches, with best figures of 6/59.
What did fans say about Alex Wharf?
Fans were bamboozled with Alex Wharf's decision that eventually costed Pakistan the match. As per the DRS, the ball hit the stump on the hawk-eye analysis. But as per the rule book, it was given as "Umpire's call". This decision saved Tabraiz Shamsi and South Africa, who were one wicket away from losing the game.
Fans from all over the world have expressed sympathy and hard luck to the Pakistan Cricket Team. However, the controversial dismissal of Rassie van der Dussen went in favour of Pakistan - and against South Africa.
"Lots of people talking about DRS at the end not going Pakistan’s way - yes that was unlucky for them. But Rassie van der Dussen also got a very tight call that didnt go his way - also one that had a double umpires call," a fan tweeted after the match.
Lots of people talking about DRS at the end not going Pakistan’s way - yes that was unlucky for them
— Natalie Germanos 🏏 (@NatalieGermanos) October 27, 2023
But Rassie van der Dussen also got a very tight call that didnt go his way - also one that had a double umpires call
It happens .. part of the game #CWC23
suitation matters mam
— Abdul Samad 🐐 (@Ab_Samad122) October 27, 2023
MORE: When is Pakistan's next match at the ODI World Cup?
Who will win the 2023 World Cup?
India, Australia and South Africa are among the top five favourites for the 2023 World Cup title. The odds from Dafabet are as follows:
| Team | Odds (Dafabet) |
|---|---|
| India | 2.15 |
| Australia | 5.00 |
| South Africa | 4.75 |
| New Zealand | 7.00 |
| Pakistan | 29.00 |
Think you know who will win the 2023 Cricket World Cup? Place your bets here with Dafabet!
