Asia Cup 2025: Was Suryakumar Right To Withdraw Appeal Against UAE Batter? Ex-India Cricketer Weighs In

As Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav withdrew an appeal against UAE batter Junaid Siddique despite the batter being given out by the third umpire, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believed India's T20 captain's decision was based on the match situation, and it would not have happened if Pakistan were playing against them. 

The incident took place in the 13th over of the UAE innings. Siddique was stumped, but India decided to withdraw the appeal because the batter was put off by the towel.

'It would not have happened against Pakistan'

During Dube's run-up, the towel fell off, and Siddique tried to pull the ball away but missed it. Samson was brilliant to spot Siddique outside the crease and underarm a direct hit, while Siddique was busy pointing out the dropped towel.

"It's event-specific in my opinion, it wouldn't have happened if [Pakistan's] Salman Agha was playing on 14th [of September] and the game is in the balance, and he's just roaming around, he [Suryakumar] won't do that. It was a good throw, presence of mind from Sanju to hit the stumps," Aakash Chopra said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

Ethics and generosity lead to controversy

Chopra believed that if Siddique was outside the crease, he should have been out, arguing that introducing ethics and generosity into such decisions would lead to controversy and inconsistency.

"If he was [outside the crease], it should be out, in my opinion. But opinions may vary. The problem is that the moment you bring in ethics and generosity, it opens a can of worms: 'Oh, you did this today, why are you not doing the same thing tomorrow?' Why go down that route?" he added. 

"Will you do it? If that's the case, it's like walking. You nick it and you walk. But the day you do not walk, that's the day that decides which side of the divide you are on, and that's when you look like a hypocrite. I'm not saying SKY is going to do it again, or not do it again. But if it is within the rules and the umpire has given it out, just stay out. That's it," he concluded.

Siddique survived, but India already did the damage

Siddique didn't survive much and ballooned it to Suryakumar, who pouched it at the last moment, forcing the UAE batter to return on a three-ball duck. 

India bowlers brought thunder down the ground and left carnage with left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav emerging as the mastermind. The UAE batters were left bamboozled as they folded on 57, the second lowest in the history of the T20 Asia Cup on Wednesday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Kuldeep starred with a four-wicket haul while Shivam Dube maintained his economical nature with his scrambled seam and scalped 3/4 to leave mayhem in Dubai. UAE bundled out on 57, the second lowest in the tournament behind Hong Kong's 38 against Pakistan in 2022.

India went on to pull off their fastest chase in men's T20Is, in terms of overs left - eclipsing the 6.3 overs' chase against Scotland at the T20 World Cup in Dubai in 2021. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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