IND vs PAK Asia Cup Rising Stars Match Ignited by Bizarre Catch Ruling
The highly anticipated Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 clash between India A and Pakistan Shaheens was once again marred by controversy on Sunday, proving that flashpoints are an inevitable part of this historic rivalry. While Pakistan secured a commanding eight-wicket victory, chasing down India's total of 137 with 40 balls to spare, the match will be remembered for a bizarre incident that left the Indian team and fans in disbelief.
The Controversial Incident: A Relay Catch That Wasn't
The moment of high drama unfolded on the very first ball of the 10th over. Pakistan's half-centurion, Maaz Sadaqat, who was batting aggressively on 56 from 36 balls, smashed a delivery from Indian bowler Suyash Sharma towards the boundary ropes.
What followed was a spectacular fielding effort. Two Indian fielders, Nehal Wadhera and Naman Dhir, combined in what appeared to be a perfectly executed relay catch. Television replays showed Wadhera sprinting to his right and grabbing the ball, but as he began to lose his balance, he flung the ball into the air where his teammate Dhir completed the catch.
The Indian team erupted in celebration, believing they had secured the crucial wicket of the dangerous Sadaqat. However, the on-field umpires decided to refer the decision to the third umpire, Morshed Ali Khan, to verify if the catch was clean and whether the fielder had touched the boundary rope during the process.
The Umpire's Baffling Decision and Indian Protests
To the shock of the Indian team, the TV umpire ruled the batter not out. The decision itself sparked immediate protests from the Indian players. However, the situation turned from controversial to truly bizarre when it was declared that the ball would be considered a dot ball, meaning no runs were awarded, and the batter was not given out.
This ruling was perplexing, as the ball had clearly been hit in the air and was not grounded by the batter. The logical outcomes were either a dismissal if the catch was legal, or a six if the fielder was deemed to have touched the boundary. The dot ball call left commentators and fans alike scratching their heads.
Despite their protests, the Indian team's appeals were in vain. They did manage to get a breakthrough two balls later with the wicket of Yasir Khan, but the missed opportunity to dismiss Sadaqat proved costly.
Aftermath and Match Result
Capitalizing on his second life, Maaz Sadaqat went on to play a match-winning innings, eventually finishing with a powerful 79 runs from just 47 balls, guiding the Pakistan Shaheens to a comfortable victory.
Earlier in the match, India A had posted a modest total of 136, largely thanks to a valiant 45 off 28 balls from star batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi. However, a dramatic batting collapse prevented them from setting a more competitive target.
This incident adds to the growing list of controversies in recent India-Pakistan encounters, recalling the tensions during the senior Asia Cup where the Indian team's conduct with the trophy made headlines.
