In a week where DRS technology has been in the crosshairs of debate, Shadab Khan added further fuel to the fire, squarely blaming it for Islamabad United’s loss to Quetta Gladiators at the PSL. Moments after the Gladiators wrapped up a three-wicket win, Shadab pointed towards a review that gave Gladiators a reprieve during United’s defence of a low total, contesting that Hawk-Eye had tracked the wrong delivery when assessing whether Rilee Rossouw was out lbw.

“I think technology made a mistake,” a visibly-angry Shadab said. “The ball-tracking showed a different delivery, and it was a match-changing moment. These sorts of things should be sorted out properly in such a big tournament. These mistakes should not happen. I bowled four overs here as a legspinner, and I don’t think the ball was spinning here. And they showed Agha [Salman]’s delivery hitting outside off stump and spinning away. I don’t buy that.”

The incident in question occurred during the 11th over of the Quetta Gladiators innings. Off the final delivery of the over, Gladiators captain Rossouw moved across and attempted to sweep Agha but missed, with the ball hitting his front pad. Aleem Dar upheld an enthused appeal from the fielding side, and Gladiators promptly reviewed it.

Hawk-Eye eventually determined not only that the ball had hit the left-hander outside the line of the stumps, but that it would also have gone on to miss off stump. When it was shown on the big screen, both the fielding side and umpire Dar looked visibly surprised, because the slow-motion replay appeared to show the ball straightening instead of gripping and turning. Static images of the impact on the pad also suggested a potential disparity between where the ball had hit Rossouw, and where the ball Hawk-Eye was tracking declared it to be hitting, with the former much more plausibly in line with the stumps.

Compounding Shadab’s frustration was how delicately the match was poised. Quetta Gladiators were building up a partnership after the loss of four early wickets, with Sherfane Rutherford and Rossouw rebuilding. The Gladiators were 82 for 4 with nine overs to go and needed a further 57 to win. What made them particularly vulnerable was a long tail, with United believing they could crack the game open with a breakthrough there.

As things panned out, the duo put on a partnership that put the game out of United’s reach. They put together 62 for the 5th wicket, with Rossouw unbeaten on 34 right to the end as the Gladiators made it three wins in three. United, meanwhile have one win and two losses.

There has been no comment yet from the tournament, the cricket board, the broadcaster or the production company concerning the incident.