Toss ‘Fixing’, Cry Fans: Pakistan Captain Makes Wrong Call But Gets To Decide

Colombo: If it’s India versus Pakistan on a cricket field, controversy is round the corner, be it a men’s contest or a women’s game.

If the drama which played out three times over in the men’s Asia Cup last month in Dubai wasn’t enough, Sunday’s ICC Women’s World Cup match between India and Pakistan had more to offer.

It was expected that captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana won’t shake hands at the toss, in line with India’s policy of not extending any courtesies to Pakistanis even in a sporting arena, post the Pahalgam terror attack.

But the bigger talking point was who actually won the toss.

Harmanpreet spun the coin ahead of the match at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, and Fatima called ‘tails’, as was heard on live television.

The coin fell as ‘heads’, so India should have won the toss. However, Match Referee Shandre Fritz must have heard wrong, and invited Fatima to decide whether to bat or bowl first.

Harmanpreet didn’t object, neither did toss presenter Mel Jones point out the blunder, as the Pakistan captain said her team would bowl first.

As the video clip of the toss went viral, Indian fans called out the match referee’s ‘big blunder’.

Despite the Pakistan skipper being clearly heard calling ‘tails’ and the coin coming down as ‘heads’, how could the match referee, who was closest to the captains, get it wrong, netizens questioned.

Some even called it ‘toss fixing’ to favour Pakistan.

Here are some of the reactions by netizens: