The thrilling match between Australia and India in the WTC 2023 Final is currently underway, but the Australian squad is now engaged in controversy after Basit Ali, a former Pakistani cricketer, made severe accusations of ball tampering against them.
Ali claimed that during the 15th over of the game, the Australians tried to tamper with the ball. They used this questionable strategy to their advantage to get rid of two of India’s main batsmen, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. The dismissals happened quickly, with Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green being key players in sending both batsmen back to the pavilion.
Ali’s claims have raised eyebrows, as he argues that the alleged ball tampering has gone unnoticed by officials, commentators, and even the Indian batsmen themselves. It is a matter that has ignited a heated debate and threatens to overshadow the enthralling contest between the two cricketing giants.
As the match progresses, the allegations hang like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over Australia’s performance and raising questions about the integrity of the game. The cricketing world awaits further investigation and clarity regarding these serious allegations, as the sport’s governing bodies strive to uphold fair play and maintain the sanctity of the game.
It remains to be seen how these accusations will unfold and whether they will have a significant impact on the outcome of the World Test Championship final. The focus now shifts to the response from the Australian camp and the subsequent actions that will be taken to address these allegations. The cricketing fraternity awaits an answer to this controversy, as the match continues to captivate fans around the globe.
Basit Ali Claims Australia’s Ball Tampering Goes Unnoticed
“Firstly, I would clap for those watching the match from the commentary box, and the umpires. Australia clearly played with the ball and no one is talking about it. No batter is wondering ‘What is happening?’ The biggest example is batters getting bowled while leaving the ball. Let me give you the evidence too. Until the 54th over when Shami was bowling, the shine was on the outside and the ball moved back into Steve Smith. This is not called reverse swing. Reverse swing is when the shine is on the inside and the ball comes back in,” Ali said on his YouTube channel.
IND vs AUS: Ball Tampering in Overs 16-18
Ali highlights overs 16 to 18 as crucial evidence of ball tampering, pointing to the dismissals of Kohli and Pujara. In the 18th over, umpire Kettleborough replaced the misshapen ball, and Ali suggests this gave Australia an unfair advantage, resulting in India’s slump to 71/4.
“Look at the 16th, 17th and 18th over, the ball on which Virat Kohli got out… look at the shine. Mitchell Starc had the ball in his hand with the shiny end pointing outside but the ball was moving the other way. Jadeja was hitting the ball on the on-side and the ball was flying over point. Have the umpires gone blind? God knows who all are sitting there who can’t see such a simple thing,” Ali pointed out.
“Green bowled with the shine pointing towards Pujara and the ball rocketed back in? I am surprised. BCCI is such a big board; can they not see it? It means that you aren’t focused towards cricket. They are just happy knowing that India has reached the final. Does the ball ever reverse swing in 15-20 overs, Is that too Duke’s ball? I understand that a Kookaburra ball can still reverse, but a Dukes ball lasts till 40 overs at least,” Ali said.
A History of Controversy: Ball Tampering and the Shadow of Australians
The stain of ball tampering continues to haunt Australian cricket, evoking memories of the infamous sandpaper gate scandal that rocked the sport in 2018. In a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town, David Warner, Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft were caught red-handed engaging in the deliberate roughening of one side of the ball to achieve swing.
The incident was captured on camera, leaving Cricket Australia with no choice but to take immediate action.
The repercussions were severe, with Warner and Smith receiving 12-month bans from international cricket, while Bancroft faced a nine-month suspension. The incident sent shockwaves through the cricketing community, damaging the reputation of Australian cricket and raising questions about the integrity of the game.
