Pakistan vs Bangladesh: Asia Cup Final

[JAYRAM]

BCB wants Asia Cup result undone

Sat, Mar 24th, 2012 11:25 pm BdST

Dhaka, Mar 24 (bdnews24.com) – Bangladesh have demanded deduction of five runs from Pakistan's total score of Thursday's Asia Cup final for 'deliberate' obstruction by a Pakistani bowler to Mahmudullah in the last over of the match.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) operations committee chairman Enayet Hossain Siraj on Saturday told bdnews24.com that they have appealed to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the International Cricket Council for review of the act of Pakistani bowler Aizaz Cheema.

"The appeal was made at a meeting with ACC," he said.

Current BCB chief A H M Mustafa Kamal is also ACC head, while former Bangladesh cricket player Syed Ashraful Haque is the organisation's chief executive.

The ACC has taken the plea into cognisance.

In case Pakistan get the five-run penalty or Bangladesh get five runs added to their score, Tigers could be the new Asia Cup champions.

Pakistan won by two runs after Bangladesh could score only six runs from the final over bowled by Aizaz Cheema.

BCB made the appeal to the top Asian cricket body alleging Cheema had deliberately blocked batsman Mahmudullah in the final over which they believe cost them the game.

He said, "Though the umpire had warned Cheema during the game, Bangladesh is not satisfied."

"We have seen video footage of the incident several times. It is clear that Cheema blocked Mahmudullah deliberately," Siraj added.

A never-say-die Bangladesh had lost agonisingly by two runs in a nail-biting thriller to hand Pakistan their second Asia Cup on Thursday.

Pakistan had batted first and scored 236 losing 9 wickets in the final match while chasing 237 to win, Bangladesh scored 234 for the loss of eight wickets in 50 overs.

The BCB appeal is in line with Section-42 (5) of the ICC's playing conditions.

BCB wants Asia Cup result undone | Cricket | bdnews24.com

 

[JAYRAM]

You are late, Tigers: PCB


Sun, Mar 25th, 2012 8:20 pm BdST

Karachi, Mar 25 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) – Bangladesh have reacted too late in trying to have the result of the Asia Cup final overturned, the Pakistan Cricket Board's chief operating officer said on Sunday.

A senior official from the Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Saturday that it will ask the Asian Cricket Council to review an incident in the last over of Thursday's final against Pakistan which they believe cost them the game.

Pakistan won the final by two runs but Bangladesh say Pakistani bowler Aizaz Cheema, who bowled the final over, deliberately tried to block batsman Mahmudullah and therefore, five penalty runs should be incurred.

"We are a bit surprised by this late reaction from the Bangladesh board because we believe if something was wrong the match officials would have taken action on the spot," the PCB's Subhan Ahmed told Reuters.

"What we fail to understand is why there is this late reaction from the Bangladesh board. But even if they appeal I don't think it will affect relations between the two boards."

In the final match, Pakistan had batted first and scored 236 losing 9 wickets while chasing 237 to win, Bangladesh scored 234 for the loss of eight wickets in the stipulated 50 overs.

Pakistan, who have not hosted international matches since a gun attack on the Sri Lanka team in 2009, have invited Bangladesh to play a three-match one-day series next month.

The PCB is still waiting for a response from the Bangladesh board, which says it will follow any decision made by its government.

You are late, Tigers: PCB | Cricket | bdnews24.com