Liam Plunkett tampered ball against Pakistan?
Plunkett is seen scratching the ball with his nails in the video
(Web Desk) – England’s Liam Plunkett landed in trouble after a clip surfaced on social media in which the pacer can be seen tampering with the ball.
A video of the incident has gone viral in the social media and the cricket fans are asking the International Cricket Council (ICC) to investigate the alleged ball-tampering case.
In the video, Plunkett is seen scratching the ball with his nails and the ball, in slow-motion footage, was extremely roughed up in one side. Whether the alleged ball-tampering incident will be investigated is yet to be seen but the footage has become a reason behind few raised eyebrows.
The ball appears to be heavily scuffed in the clip as Plunkett’s fellow pacer Chris Woakes delivers it.
Earlier, the cricket world was left shocked when Australian cricketers Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith and David Warner were involved in the sandpaper-gate in the third Test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town in 2018. Since then, the troika has served nine months – for Bancroft – and a year-long ban – for Smith and Warner respectively.
ICC gives Liam Plunkett clean chit
Later, Liam Plunkett was cleared of any wrongdoing by the International Cricket Council after footage emerged of him appearing to scrape his fingers along the seam of the ball during the one-day international against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl on Saturday.
Plunkett himself is understood to have raised the issue with officials after becoming aware of the allegations and he has since been exonerated fully by umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, with the agreement of match referee Richie Richardson.
"The ICC has confirmed that the match officials are comfortable there was no attempt by Liam Plunkett to change the condition of the ball or any evidence of this on the over-by-over examinations of the ball throughout Saturday s ODI clash in Southampton," said a statement issued by the global governing body on Sunday.
England, hosts of the upcoming men s ODI World Cup, beat Pakistan by 12 runs at Southampton to go 1-0 up in the five-match series, with Plunkett taking two wickets for 64 runs in nine overs after Wednesday s series opener at The Oval was washed out.
The teams meet again in Bristol on Tuesday.
