Usman Khawaja critical of dismissal decision as Sydney Thunder make BBL exit

Adelaide Strikers' Fawad Ahmed dived to dismiss the Australia batter during the Knockout match at the MCG despite replays suggesting the ball brushed the ground

Usman Khawaja has criticised the decision which saw him dismissed during Sydney Thunder's Knockout defeat to Adelaide Strikers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Australia batter edged the third ball of the seventh over from Matthew Short towards Fawah Ahmed, who leapt forwards in an attempt to complete the catch.

On-field umpires Donovan Koch and Phillipe Gillespie sent the final decision to the TV official but gave a soft signal of out.

Ben Treloar studied the footage forensically and eventually could find no evidence to overturn it, despite pictures showing the ball brushing the outfield as it was caught.

Khawaja, on 23 at the time, was noticeably disappointed with the decision, with the MCG crowd reacting to the call with a chorus of boos.

A controversial catch has seen the back of Usman Khawaja in the knockout game between Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers...#BBL11pic.twitter.com/r3vMxVKYGl

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) January 23, 2022

Thunder were on 56 for 1 and eventually lost out by six runs, after being set 185 to win.

Speaking about the decision, he told Fox Cricket: "No I didn’t think I was out.

"I thought at the end of the day the soft signal cost me. I’ve never been a big fan of the soft signal.

"When they give it out on the field it makes it hard to overturn.

"I said to the umpires on the field that I can’t believe a blade of grass didn’t touch the ball because that is all it needs to take.

^{Fawad Ahmed held on as Strikers kept their BBL hopes alive (Robert Cianfone/Getty Images)}

"It looked like a blade of grass 100 per cent touched the ball. I’ll accept the umpire’s decision, but I don’t agree with it.

"They didn’t really give me a direct answer and I told them that, but I had to accept the decision. I don’t agree with it but I haven’t to accept it.

"I didn’t think it was out live. If I did I would have just walked off. I’ve got no issue if I see a ball and think that looks out I’ll just walk off, but it just looked like it bounced to me.

"As a fielder, I know you don’t always know. You feel like and even I have felt like I have caught a few balls that bounced in front of me. I’m not questioning Fawad, I just thought it bounced."

The victorious Strikers now move onto the Challenger on Wednesday (January 26) against Sydney Sixers for a place in the final with Perth Scorchers.