'There are room for improvements' - Towhid Hridoy lashes out at umpires after Bangladesh's gut-wrenching loss to South Africa

Bangladesh succumbed to an excruciating four-run defeat against South Africa at the Nassau Cricket Stadium in New York on Monday, June 10. The umpiring during the encounter was under the scanner and some of the decisions have received a lot of flak from fans as well as experts.

Towhid Hridoy, who played a dogged 37-run knock off 34 balls, lamented some of the umpiring decisions that proved to be decisive at the end of the match. Mahmudullah was given out LBW in the 17th over by the on-field umpire. However, Bangladesh used DRS to good effect and the veteran batter was saved. The ball had gone to the fine leg fence but because the batter was given out, the ball was counted as dead. Ironically, the Tigers lost the low-scoring thriller by just four runs. Hridoy said that the umpire was hard on his team with the LBW call and also mentioned that a couple of wides were not given during the innings.

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"To be honest that was not a good call for us in such a tight match. In my point of view, the umpire gave that out but it was pretty hard on us. Those four runs could have changed the match scenario," Hridoy told reporters following the game as quoted by Cricbuzz.

"The laws are not in my hands. In that time those four runs were really important. Umpires can make a call and they are human too and can make mistakes. They also didn't give wides which were wides on a few occasions. In this kind of a venue where low-scoring matches are taking place, one or two runs are a big thing. I think those four runs or two wides are close calls and I was given out on umpire's call and there are room for improvements," he added.

Hridoy was given out LBW off a Kagiso Rabada's delivery where the replays showed that the ball was just about clipping the leg stump. Bangladesh were cruising before the dismissal, as they needed just 20 runs off 18 balls with two set batters at the crease. The talented youngster admitted that he should have finished the match as it wasn't easy for new batters to get accustomed to the tough conditions.

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"Actually we were very much confident with that score and from that position I should have finished the match. It is difficult for a new batter to go and adjust to the conditions. In that position I should have finished the match," Hridoy said.

In pursuit of a 114-run target, Bangladesh required 11 runs off the last over, with five wickets in the bank. Keshav Maharaj bowled a wide, missed a run-out chance, and finished with two full-tosses but the Asian side couldn't get over the line. Najmul Hossain Shanto's men were restricted to 109/7, losing by four runs.