Wahab Riaz uses saliva on ball during T20I against Zimbabwe; gets warning

The Pakistan cricket team was involved in the first T20 International of three-match series against Zimbabwe on November 7, Saturday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Though the hosts easily chased down the target of 157 posted by the visitors on the board courtesy the captain Babar Azam, the experienced left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz received a warning for using saliva on the ball.

During the 11th over of the first innings, the seamer came to bowl his second over of the evening. However, unknowingly he applied the saliva on the ball to shine it. The umpires Aleem Dar and Asia Yaqoob spotted the indiscretion and the game was stopped as Wahab was issued a warning.

The umpires then asked the pacer to leave the ball on the ground and the reserve umpire brought the sanitary wipes to clean the ball. As per the guidelines laid out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic the players are restricted from using the saliva to shine the ball. The fielding side will get three warnings from the umpires for breaching this rule and the repetition of the same for the fourth time will result in a five-run penalty.

Authorities need to revisit the regulations: Ramiz Raja

The former Pakistan captain turned commentator Ramiz Raja opined on this instance saying that the International council needs to revisit the guidelines for the COVID-19 as the players, officials, and support staff reside in a secure bio-bubble, hence there should be no harm in the use of saliva.

“I think with the players and officials all in a secure bio-bubble during a series because of the COVID-19 situation, authorities need to revisit the regulations governing the game nowadays due to the pandemic,” Ramiz Raja, former Pakistan captain-turned-commentator, said.

This is not the first time a Pakistan player got a warning for using saliva on the ball. A few months back, the Men in Green had toured England for a three-match Test and T20 series. During the first T20 International at the Old Trafford, the pacer Mohammad Amir was also issued a warning for committing the same mistake.

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— Simran (@CowCorner9) November 8, 2020