Bangladesh said that the umpiring was “biased” and they will formally complain to the International Cricket Council over claims of biased umpiring and “unbearable” sledging in the first Test against South Africa, officials said on Tuesday, 5th April.

The Bangladeshi side remained competitive for most of the match before a batting collapse caused them to be dismissed for 53 in the second innings. They were furious after several close calls went against them. The Players have also taken issue with their opponents for on-field taunts they alleged crossed the line into abuse. “You all have seen how biased the umpiring was. On the field, sledging was also unbearable,” Bangladesh Cricket Board cricket operations chief Jalal Yunus told. “We will write a formal complaint to the ICC match referee manager,” he added. Jalal said they raised similar issues to match referee Andy Pycroft after their 2-1 one-day international series win – their first on South African soil. “Our manager spoke to him several times but he paid no attention to our complaint,” Jalal said by phone from Durban. He also stated “We want the ICC to appoint neutral umpires in Test series as soon as possible. We are also ready to welcome neutral umpires in our home series”. Umpires from host countries have been used exclusively since 2020, when the pandemic imposed worldwide travel restrictions, and South African umpires Marais Erasmus and Adrian Holdstock were the match officials in the Durban Test. Skipper Mominul Haque said umpires did not intervene when South African players sledged them. He further went on to say “Sledging is a normal thing but if it comes to the stage of abuse, that is very bad. I think they abused us in the worst manner and the umpires did not notice.”

South Africa won by 220 runs in Durban after the terrible batting collapse of Bangladesh in the second innings. The second Test will start in Gqeberha on April 8, Friday.