The no-ball call in the final over of India's innings sparked a controversy.
After Kohli expressed his disappointment that it should be called a no ball for being above waist, the umpires made a late decision and declared it a no ball.
The turn of events left the Babar Azam-led Pakistan side furious. While the Men in Green protested, the decision was retained.
Amid the outrage, former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Malik have opined that the decision should have been referred to the third umpire.
“The ball seemed to dip but its kind of touch and go. To the naked eye, it did not seem like a no-ball but in slow-motion, it does seem like it dipped … Any batsman will turn and ask for no ball. That’s not his [Kohli]s] fault. Such a big game. You have technology. Use it. Why flare up things unnecessarily?” Wasim said while speaking on A Sports.
The former left-arm pacer further added that if either he or Waqar Younis were part of the commentary team, they would have raised the issue.
“Because we weren’t there. If me or Waqar were there, we would have spoken our mind there and then.”
Sharing his two cents, Waqar said: “When the ball is about waist-high, the square-leg umpire’s first reaction is that he takes his hand out, extends his right hand. That’s his natural reaction. But if you look at the replays, he (Marius Erasmus) turns around to see the ball. Then after Virat Kohli asked for it…”
“I am not saying and I don’t want to say it’s a no ball or not. I don’t want to get into that controversy. But the umpire (Marius Erasmus the square-leg umpire) should have called it there and then. It was Virat Kohli’s right to ask for the no-ball and he should do it. The leg umpire should have consulted the main umpire and they should have gone upstairs. That’s why the third umpire is sitting there. It should have been left to him – he could call it no-ball, six whatever…”
Shoaib Malik also echoed Wasim and Waqar’s sentiments, saying that the third umpire should have come into the picture.
“When you have an option, you should take the help from the third umpire, especially in such a big match at a crunch situation. Anyone can make a mistake but they should have consulted the third umpire. If the decision was taken after the replays which we saw it would have been better,” Malik said.
There was another debate when the ball hit the stumps in the free hit after that no ball and the Indian batters ran three runs.
While some fans and experts argued it should have been given a dead ball, Wasim Akram clarified that if the batter got an inside edge on to the stumps on a free hit, he can run and the runs will be credited to him.
“If there is no edge and the ball hits the stumps, they can run and it will go down as extras. And that’s why the umpire signalled it as a bye.”