"Erasmus was the only Pakistani supporter in the ground" - Fans slam dismal umpiring in IND vs PAK 2023 World Cup game

One of the most respected umpires in world cricket, Marais Erasmus, had a questionable outing in the first innings of the marquee India-Pakistan clash of the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad on October 14. The South African-born umpire had as many as three controversial calls, all in favor of Pakistan, drawing severe criticism from Indian fans.

It started with Erasmus adjudging Pakistan skipper Babar Azam as not out for an LBW appeal. While the decision looked fair in real time, India went ahead with a DRS referral, only to find two reds and an umpire's call on the big screen.

Things continued to go south for umpire Erasmus, as he was similarly unmoved for a leg before appeal against left-hander Saud Shakeel off Kuldeep Yadav. However, technology again proved otherwise, as Hawkeye displayed three reds to give marching orders to the batter.

Finally, Haris Rauf was given not out by the 59-year-old for an LBW off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja, only to be overturned for a third time in a row.

Erasmus is part of the Elite Panel of ICC umpires and has stood in 79 Tests, 143 ODIs, and 43 T20Is in a stellar career. However, that did not prevent fans on Twitter from heavily criticizing Erasmus for his questionable decisions in favor of Pakistan.

Here are some of the best reactions:

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Team India dominate Pakistan once again in an ODI World Cup clash

Team India were smiles after inflicting a Pakistani batting collapse.

Despite the questionable umpiring from Erasmus, Team India had no trouble dismantling arch-rivals Pakistan for a paltry 191 all-out inside 43 overs.

Winning the toss and fielding first, Rohit Sharma's men looked in a spot of trouble when Pakistan marched to 155/2 in the 30th over. With star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan going strong, the visitors appeared to be on course for a massive total.

However, chaos ensued as Pakistan produced one of their famous batting collapses, losing the final eight wickets for 36 runs.

The shocking batting display was compounded by a sensational collective bowling performance from the Indian bowlers, with five bowlers picking up two wickets each.

Both teams entered the game with two relatively convincing wins to begin their 2023 World Cup campaign. But Pakistan have seemingly opened their past World Cup wounds against the Men in Blue, who have beaten them in all seven meetings in the marquee event.

In the recent Asia Cup, Pakistan produced a similarly shambolic batting display against the Indians, scoring a paltry 128 in response to India's 356/2.

With a simple run chase on offer, India has started in a destructive mood, racing to 101/2 in 14 overs. Skipper Rohit Sharma continued from where he left off against Afghanistan, reaching his half-century in only 36 deliveries.