India vs Pakistan: Umpires come under fire for giving no-ball in final over

KARACHI: Fans and experts were left baffled by a few on-field decisions after India’s four-wicket over Pakistan in a heart-stopping T20 World Cup game that unfolded at the MCG which was packed with 90,000 boisterous fans on Sunday, foreign media reported.

Virat Kohli conjured up an unbeaten 82-run knock to anchor a chase of 160, which became tricky after India were left in tatters at 31 for 4. Hardik Pandya, the most important cog in India’s T20 wheel, struck 40 off 37 balls in a partnership of 113.

The duo took the match to the final over as the match stood on the knife’s edge. With 16 needed off the last six balls, Pandya holed out off Mohammed Nawaz’s bowling and with rule of crossover non existent, Dinesh Karthik faced his first delivery and took a single.

With 14 needed off three balls, Nawaz’s full-toss was dispatched for a six over square leg and it was called a no-ball after deliberation by on-field umpires. The square leg umpire initially didn’t call a no-ball,but after Kohli in frustration pointed to the umpire that it was going over waist height, it was called a no-ball.

The next ball was a wide from Nawaz, which meant free-hit stayed intact. On the next ball, Kohli was bowled off a free-hit but managed to run three as the ball ricocheted off the stumps past the short third man fielder.

After Karthik was stumped by an alert Mohammed Rizwan, Nawaz bowled a wide and Ravichandran Ashwin scored the most important boundary of his career. The no-ball left a bitter taste in the fans’ mouths as Kohli got bowled on a free-hit but instead of calling it a dead ball the umpire gave three byes and that proved crucial for India.

Controversy ensued after the Pakistan players including captain Babar Azam had a discussion with the umpire on whether the runs should be awarded to the Indian team.

According to the commentators, it seemed Babar wanted the delivery to be called a ‘dead ball’, since it hit the stumps. Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg questioned the umpiring in the recently concluded clash between archrivals India and Pakistan at the MCG.

Brad Hogg tweeted: “Why was no ball not reviewed, then how can it not be a dead ball when Kohli was bowled on a free hit.” “Why was no ball not reviewed, then how can it not be a dead ball when Kohli was bowled on a free hit. #INDvPAK #T20worldcup22,” said Hogg in a tweet.

According to the MCC Laws of Cricket, the ball can only become dead when “it is finally settled in the hands of the wicketkeeper or of the bowler”, or when “a boundary is scored.” The ball can also be called a dead ball when “a batter is dismissed. The ball will be deemed to be dead from the instant of the incident causing the dismissal.”

The law - 20.1.1 – also states the other different ways of declaring a ball dead, including the times when the umpire has the authority on the decision. With regards to ball hitting the stumps, the umpire can call the ball dead when “one or both bails fall from the striker’s wicket before the striker has had the opportunity of playing the ball.”

In free-hit, there are only four modes of dismissals allowed -- handled the ball, hit the ball twice, obstructing the field, and run out -- and hence, India were awarded a bye as the ball was still in play. Since India needed 5 runs to win in three balls before the ball was bowled, the equation came down to 2 needed in as many deliveries.