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The last two one-dayers between India and Pakistan,
at Multan on Thursday and Karachi on Sunday, will
feature West Indian Steve Bucknor as umpire. With
the series critically poised, this is bad news for
India, as Bucknor has in the past given some
controversial decisions against India.
* V/s Australia at Brisbane, 2003-04: Sachin
Tendulkar leaves a ball alone, which is going well
over stumps. The ball hits him on the knee roll of
the front pad. Jason Gillespie, the bowler, is the
only player to appeal, that too very casually, but
Bucknor raises his finger. Tendulkar is thus out
for a duck. Fortunately for India, the Test ended
in a draw.
* V/s Australia at Sydney , 2003-04: The crucial
fourth and final Test against Australia. The hosts
are battling to save the Test match, when Bucknor
decides to turn down some legitimate appeals for
leg-before by the Indians. Opener Justin Langer is
plumb in front of the stumps, as is middle-order
batsman Damien Martyn, but Bucknor thinks
otherwise. The Test was drawn.
* V/s Pakistan at Lahore, 2003-04: India lost the
Test match by nine wickets, but the result could
have been different had Bucknor ruled in the
bowlers' favour on atleast two occasions . Both
leg-spinner Anil Kumble and medium-fast bowler
Irfan Pathan got Yousuf Youhana ( now Mohammad
Yousuf ) to edge to the keeper, but their appeals
were turned down. Bucknor also ruled in favour of
Inzamam-ul-Haq when Kumble had trapped him plumb in
front.
* V/s Pakistan at Kolkata, 2004-05: Sachin
Tendulkar was on course for his record-breaking
35th test hundred, when he chased medium-pacer
Abdul Razzaq's swinging delivery. The ball didn't
touch the bat at all but Bucknor gave the batsman
out, a terrible decision in what was his hundredth
Test as umpire. India however went on to win the
match by 195 runs.
What's in store for India in the next four days?
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