The cricketing world was recently rocked by controversy during the T20 World Cup 2024 match between USA and Pakistan. Rusty Theron, a USA cricketer, accused Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf of tampering with the ball. Theron, a former South African seamer, alleged that Rauf ran his thumbnails over the ball, causing it to reverse.
Did Haris Rauf tamper the ball?
The incident occurred during the second innings of the match, with USA on 94/1 after 12 overs. Pakistan requested a ball change, and just an over after the change, they were able to break the threatening partnership between Andries Ghous and Monank Patel. Rauf dismissed Ghous, and immediately after the dismissal, Theron asked the ICC to look into the matter.
@ICC are we just going to pretend Pakistan aren't scratching the hell out of this freshly changed ball? Reversing the ball that's just been changed 2 overs ago? You can literally see Harris Rauf running his thumb nail over the ball at the top of his mark. @usacricket #PakvsUSA
— Rusty Theron (@RustyTheron) June 6, 2024
This accusation has stirred up a significant controversy in the cricketing world. Ball-tampering is considered a serious offence as it can significantly alter the game’s dynamics. If the allegations are proven true, it could lead to severe consequences for Rauf and the Pakistan cricket team.
Despite the controversy, the USA team managed to tie with Pakistan’s score of 159 in their allotted 20 overs. The match shifted to a super over where the USA scored 18 off the over. In reply, USA’s Saurabh Netravalkar managed to defend the score successfully with Pakistan only managing to score 13 runs in their super over. As a result, the USA stunned the 2009 champions of the tournament with a clinical victory.
This incident has brought the issue of ball-tampering back into the spotlight. It raises questions about the integrity of the sport and the measures in place to prevent such incidents. The ICC will need to investigate the matter thoroughly to ensure fair play is maintained.
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