Erratic umpire apologised to Pakistani Batsman

Lahore, Apr 8 (UNI) In a rare gesture, Australian umpire Steve Davis, who wrongly adjudged Faisal Iqbal leg before off Muralitharan in Kandy Test against Sri Lanka, later admitted his mistake and apologised to the Pakistan batsman.

In the second Test, Faisal was given out lbw by Davis although television replays showed that at the point of impact the batsman was sweeping from outside the off stump.

However, the decision had not influenced the outcome of the match and Pakistan won the Test, wrapping up the series 1-0.

According to Faisal, who scored 60 in the first Test in Colombo, Davis had come up to him the very next day and told him that after watching the replays, he realised that the decision was incorrect.

''He told me he was sorry for his mistake and that was enough for me, because in cricket these things happen to everyone,'' Faisal was quoted as saying by The News.

However, the decision was not one off and Davis, who officiated in both the Tests, erred quite frequently.

Davis had also given Kamran Akmal out bad-and-pad caught at slip off Murali when TV replays suggested the ball had only touched the thigh pad of the batsman.

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