AUS vs PAK: 1st T20I – Aaron Finch upset with Srinath’s indifferent approach
Australia were just 11 balls away from winning the first T20I against Pakistan at Sydney Cricket Ground on 3rd November (Sunday). However, consistent rain washed away their hopes. Australia were well past the D/L par score when their chase was called off but only 3.1 overs were bowled. Australian captain Aaron Finch questioned Match referee Srinath’s decision to not curtail the break time when the rain threat was looming.
Also read: IND vs BAN: 1st T20I – Mushfiqur Rahim clinches historic win for Bangladesh
Finch speaks out
“If you’re cutting overs off the game and you still have a 20-minute break, it doesn’t make much sense to me,” Finch spoke in his post-match TV interview. “When you lose a few overs and then you still have a 20-minute break… I thought that was really interesting. But it’s part of the rules and you can’t do much about it.”
The rain made its first intervention in the 12th over of Pakistani innings. Their quota of overs was reduced from 20 to 15 post resumption. Australia had to chase down the revised target of 119 runs in 15 overs. The home side was off to a blazing start as Finch himself blasted Pakistani bowlers to corners. His breezy knock of 37 not out from 16 balls meant his team was well past the D/L par score at the end of five overs which are necessary to constitute a full game. The rain stopped play after 3.1 overs.
11 balls between a win and no result
The bone of contention was 20 minute-long break time. With rain threat looming, Finch argued that the break time could have been halved in these circumstances. However, ICC match referee Javagal Srinath did not agree and the break was as usual 20 minutes. It proved to be vital as only 11 balls turned out to be the difference.
Vice-captain Alex Carey revealed that Australia had approached the match officials about curtailing the length of the interval but they were told that standard break would remain.
“We asked the question, what the changeover would have been, and it remains the same so we were aware of that and can’t change it,” Carey said. “The boys did a great job getting the start, just a shame it was probably five minutes too late. It’s disappointing to be so close, but it’s part of the game. It’s one of the things we can’t change. The spectators would have liked a result, but we understand it. Good or bad, it’s part of it.”
Both teams will be squaring off once again in the second T20I on Tuesday, 5th November. They are playing a three-match T20I series which will be followed by two Test matches.
