A controversial decision arose in the game between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab that led fans and experts to request ICC to relook the law of awarding single runs. On Oct. 1st evening, Mumbai Indians (MI) register their second win in four games of the ongoing Indian Premier League, comfortably by 48 runs against the Kings XI Punjab. MI put up another high chasing target of 192 to which the Punjab based franchise summed up only 143 losing eight wickets.
Both the teams played some top quality cricket. Like any other cricket match, DRS came into play in the game. This time, the technology didn’t get the blame about an important decision in the game but the rules. The set of laws ICC set when the umpire’s decision is reviewed.
In the 17th over of MI’s innings, Mohammed Shami’s delivery hit Kieron Pollard’s pads and the on-field umpire adjudged the batsman LBW. However, the West Indian quickly reviewed the decision and the replays confirmed that the ball hit the bat first before striking the pads. Before the umpire even raised his finger, the two batsmen had taken a single so the run should be taken into account.
What Akash Chopra tweeted following the incident?
That is not the case. According to the rules, as soon as the umpire gives the batsman out, the ball is dead and the run is not counted. Similarly, the single ran wasn’t counted. This added a bad taste and created a lot of confusion among the cricket experts and the fans.
According to commentator and former India cricketer, Aakash Chopra the run should’ve been counted. He also asked the ICC to rethink its rules as it might cost a team in a high voltage tournament like the World Cup.
“Pollard and #MI denied a single. LBW gave. Reviewed. Inside edge confirmed. But the easy run they took won’t count. Dear @ICC, this might cost someone the World Cup someday. Need a rethink. Umpires will have to reserve their decision until the ball is dead. #MIvsKXIP.”
The law states that ‘The batting side while benefiting from the reversal of the dismissal, shall not benefit from any runs that may subsequently have accrued from the delivery had the on-field umpire originally made a Not-out decision, other than any No-ball penalty’.
A lot to think on for the ICC, a change is needed
This law has been termed unfair on the batting side if the decision is reversed. Quite clearly it snatches away a run that could prove significant at the end of any tight encounters. It didn’t make much of a difference for MI the other day but the risk remains. For example, in IPL 2019 final when Shardul Thakur was given out off the last ball the batsman had taken a review then and the on-field stayed.
If the decision was reversed, the ball would have deemed dead and the single they ran wouldn’t have counted. This would have robbed CSK off the title at the moment when they needed two runs to win. Scenes would have been so different.
Another match is the World Cup 2019 final. It is when the boundary count rule was scrapped after all the backlash. ICC is being poked in the eye time-and-time again for something they need to change immediately. Such happenings cannot prevail. So a change of rule is required as soon as possible.
