A tense situation arose in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 match between Islamabad United and Multan Sultans when Colin Munro of New Zealand suggested that Iftikhar Ahmed had "chucked." Islamabad United were chasing a total of 169 at the time in the 10th over when the controversy occurred. Munro used the forward defending technique to retrieve a fast delivery from Iftikhar aimed at his toes. However, Munro's follow-through as he cried foul over a bent elbow action stole the show as he cantered down to accuse the off-spinner of breaching permissible bowling actions.

Munro’s gestures created immediate tension. His repeated motion, imitating a bent-arm delivery, frustrated Iftikhar, who went straight to the on-field umpire to express his concerns. The umpire sought to calm the situation, but it was too late as Munro's actions had already stirred an action from the Multan Sultans camp. Several of Iftikhar's teammates were agitated and confronted Munro about what they deemed unsportsmanlike action as the match turned into an emotional outburst rather than a contest of competition.

The confrontation intensified when Pakistan’s national team captain Mohammad Rizwan intervened. In a video published by the PSL’s social media accounts, Rizwan could be seen confronting Munro about an apparent disrespect to his teammate. Once the video was published, it went viral, illustrating how emotionally charged the match was. Even though officials restored calm and resumed the game without incident, it became one of the most talked about moments of the tournament, resulting in the general feeling whether sportsmanship and the spirit of the game could be overshadowed in high-pressure situations.

Watch the video here;

Colin Munro accuses Iftikhar Ahmed of chucking in PSL game.
pic.twitter.com/OujiNbxN19

— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) April 23, 2025

ICC stands on illegal bowling action

“An Illegal Bowling Action is where a player is throwing rather than bowling the ball. This is defined by the ICC as being where the player’s elbow extends by an amount of more than 15 degrees between their arm reaching the horizontal and the ball being released,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) states in their rules and regulations section on their website.

Following the clash between Colin Munro and Iftikhar Ahmed, Islamabad United secured a seven-wicket victory over the Multan Sultans at Multan Cricket Stadium. Munro played a key role in the chase himself, scoring a quick 45 runs from 28 balls before being caught by Iftikhar himself. Iftikhar, who was in the middle of the controversy, also bowled in the match, giving up 20 runs in two overs. Although moments in the match felt tense, the match was ultimately won by match.