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Inzamam-ul-Haq has said that India’s appeal against him for obstructing the field was within the rules but against the spirit of the game.

“If one surveyed the laws of cricket, the umpires’ decision was certainly according to the rules but, somehow, this law is something that I am not able to comprehend,” Inzamam wrote in The News. “I am also not in a position to say anything about it because the ICC code of conduct doesn’t permit me. In my role as the Pakistan captain, I would say that the appeal from the Indian fielders was against the spirit of cricket. Certainly, there are several modes in which a batsman can be declared out, but many of them are not in the spirit of the game. I am particularly referring to obstructing the field, handling the ball and hit-the-ball twice dismissals; also about the illegal practice of underarm bowling and running out a batsman while backing up.”

Inzamam was given out after he fended off Suresh Raina’s throw from mid-off with the bat while still out of his crease. The umpires upheld the Indians’ appeal for obstructing the field. This was just the third instance in one-day cricket of a batsman being given out in this fashion, the other two being Rameez Raja and Mohinder Amarnath. “However, such not very common laws need to be explained properly and in detail,” added Inzamam. “The Peshawar dismissal was in fact in direct contrast to my run-out dismissal in the Faisalabad Test match against England. If I had not brought my bat in front of the ball, it could have hit my body instead.”

He felt such incidents could have a negative effect on relations between the opponents. “I would not have imagined that Rahul Dravid and his team would do such a thing. I am not bothered about my dismissal but an appeal made in an unsportsmanlike manner by the visiting team can have an adverse affect on the relations between the two opponents. I have surely asserted on my boys not to make much of the Peshawar incident. However, in my personal opinion the appeal was not made in a sporting manner. Instead, it just might have left a bad taste in the mouth.”