Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq slammed West Indies wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin for wrongly claiming a catch during Friday’s gripping Champions Trophy clash at The Oval.
Misbah scored a career-best 96 not out in his side’s two-wicket defeat in south London but thought he was out for nought when Ramdin claimed a catch off man-of-the-match Kemar Roach.
Australian umpire Steve Davis gave Misbah out but, following the intervention of English official Nigel Llong at square leg, the decision was referred to third umpire Tony Hill.
Replays showed that while Ramdin had, initially, caught the ball, he had subsequently allowed it to spill out of his grasp.
Eventually it was decided that Ramdin did not have full control over the ball and Misbah was reprieved.
Had he been dismissed, Pakistan would have been 4-17.
As it was, they went on to total 170 before their bowlers made West Indies work hard to reach a seemingly modest victory total.
“What can I say about that? He (Ramdin) should have told (the umpire) what happened,” said Misbah.
“I don’t know what he was thinking at that time.
“I don’t think I would be happy if my wicket-keeper did that.
“If you don’t know if it is (a catch) then fine, but if you know it’s not a catch you shouldn’t claim it because it’s not in the spirit of the game.”
West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo defended Ramdin, insisting the keeper genuinely believed he’d held on for long enough to claim a fair catch.
“Denesh thought he honestly had control of the ball,” Bravo said.
“He is a very honest player and history shows that we as a country don’t have any stigma of negativity around us. We play the game in the right way. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”