Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma dismissed ball-tampering allegations made by legendary former Pakistani batter Inzamam-ul-Haq, instead praising his bowlers for their outstanding performances in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
In cricket, “reverse swing” refers to the ball moving in the opposite direction of a conventional swing. This technique becomes particularly effective against well-set batters when the ball is old and roughed up. Reverse swing, discovered by Pakistani fast bowlers in the 1970s, became a powerful tool for former pacers like Imran Khan, Sarfaraz Nawaz, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis. However, Pakistani bowlers have also faced accusations of tampering with the ball to achieve reverse swing through unfair means.
During a recent Pakistani TV show, Inzamam-ul-Haq, speaking as an analyst, expressed suspicion about Indian left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh’s ability to reverse swing a ball that was only 14 overs old during India’s recent World Cup match against Australia.
“What answer do I give to this?” a visibly annoyed Sharma responded during a press conference when asked about Haq’s allegations. “You’re playing on such a sunny day, and the wicket is so dry that the ball reverses on its own.”
Sharma pointed out that bowlers from other teams were also using reverse swing. “Sometimes it is also necessary to open your mind a bit,” he added, indirectly addressing Haq. “Understand the conditions we are playing in. These matches aren’t taking place in England or Australia.”
India advanced to the semifinals of the ICC T20 World Cup after defeating Australia by 24 runs on Monday. Singh played a crucial role in the victory, with figures of 3-37 from his four overs.
Undefeated in the tournament so far, India will face a strong England squad in the semifinal on Thursday.