Shabbir Ahmed Khan, a former Pakistan cricketer, made a contentious assertion following India’s exciting six-run victory against England in the fifth match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval.
With England needing only 35 runs and India needing four wickets, the visitors put up an outstanding display to tie the series 2-2.
However, Shabbir claimed that the Indian side tampered with the ball, stating that they added Vaseline on it because it seemed shiny even after being used for over 80 overs. He urged match officials to submit the ball to a lab for analysis.
India successfully defended the small target, thanks to a match-winning spell from Mohammed Siraj, who took five wickets, and Prasidh Krishna, who claimed four.
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On the final day at The Oval, India needed four wickets, with Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton holding the fort for England. Overton briefly ignited hope with two consecutive boundaries, reducing the target to just 27 runs. However, Mohammed Siraj struck back with a sharp outswinger to dismiss Smith, and soon after trapped Overton lbw, putting India just two wickets away from a famous win.
Despite the new ball being available, India chose to continue with the old one, which was swinging nicely. Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue took charge, adding tension with a fighting stand. Atkinson even launched a six, narrowing the gap to just 11 runs. But Prasidh Krishna produced a crucial breakthrough, bowling Tongue with a deceptive delivery.
With England down to their final wicket, Chris Woakes walked out to bat with one arm in a sling. Still, he managed to support Atkinson by running between the wickets. England edged closer, needing just seven runs to seal the series.
Then came the moment of glory as Siraj returned to bowl the 86th over and delivered a perfect yorker to Atkinson, uprooting the stumps and sealing a stunning six-run win for India. The victory leveled the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy to 2-2. Siraj was named Player of the Match for his sensational nine-wicket haul. He also emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the series, finishing with 23 wickets.
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