In a dramatic turn of events during the deciding match between India and Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, all eyes were on India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
The match, which should have been remembered for the fierce competition between the Asian rivals, became overshadowed by Harmanpreet’s actions after her dismissal and her subsequent criticism of the umpiring decisions.
While her deputy, Smriti Mandhana, came to her defense, Bangladesh’s captain, Nigar Sultana, did not hold back in expressing her disappointment over Harmanpreet’s conduct during the 3rd ODI match.
The incident in question occurred during India’s chase of 226, in the 34th over. Harmanpreet was dismissed after Nahida Akter completed the catch, but doubts arose whether the ball had hit the bat or the pads.
The Bangladesh captain expressed strong dissatisfaction with Harmanpreet Kaur’s behavior
The umpire ruled it as out, which visibly infuriated Harmanpreet. In a moment of frustration, she smashed the stumps and engaged in a heated exchange of words with the umpire on her way back to the dugout.
However, this was not the only incident where India expressed dissatisfaction with the umpiring standards. Two other instances added to their frustrations – one involving Yastika Bhatia, who was given out lbw, and another involving the dismissal of Meghna Singh.
After the match, Harmanpreet did not hold back in criticizing the umpiring decisions. She expressed surprise at the standard of umpiring, insinuating that it was biased in favor of the home team.
Her remarks did not sit well with Bangladesh’s captain, Nigar Sultana, who took offense and expressed her displeasure at Harmanpreet’s poor conduct.
In an incident reported by ESPNCricinfo, it was revealed that Harmanpreet had asked the umpires to join the Bangladesh team for the end-of-series photograph, which was interpreted as implying that they were biased towards the home side.
Nigar felt insulted by this remark and immediately brought the matter to the attention of Bangladesh Cricket Board officials. Consequently, she left the post-match presentation along with her team.
Regarding the umpiring decisions, Nigar stood by their credibility and fairness. She pointed out that they had experienced umpires from men’s international cricket officiating the match.
She questioned why the Indian players did not demonstrate similar behavior during caught or run-out dismissals, urging everyone to accept the umpire’s decisions, whether they agreed with them or not.
The series was meant to be a celebration of cricketing talent between two fiercely competitive teams, but the spotlight shifted towards the unsavory incidents and controversies involving Harmanpreet Kaur.
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