The Single Run Could Turn Out To Be Crucial In Close Matches In Future:
The Mumbai Indians (MI) comfortably won the 13th game of the new Indian Premier League ( IPL) with 48 runs against the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). Both teams have played some top-quality cricket, but in the last few years, DRS has come under the scanner for the umpteenth time. This time, when the umpire’s decision is reviewed, it is not about the use of technology, but the rules that the ICC has set.
Mohammed Shami got one to strike Kieron Pollard’s pads in the 17th over of MI’s innings and the on-field umpire adjudged the batsman lbw. Pollard, however, checked the decision and the replays indicated that the ball was deflected by the bat to the pad. Meanwhile, prior to being given out by the on-field umpire, the two batsmen had taken a single.
But according to the rules, the ball is dead and the run is not counted as soon as the umpire gives the batsman out. Similarly, the single run was not counted, and among the cricket experts and the fans, this created a lot of confusion. The run should have been counted, according to former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra, as he also asked the ICC to reconsider its rules as it could cost a World Cup team going forward.
“Pollard and #MI denied a single. LBW given. 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 till the ball is dead. #MIvsKXIP,” his tweet read.
What Does Law Say?
“The actual law states:” The batting side shall not benefit from any runs that could subsequently have resulted from the delivery if the on-field umpire had originally made a Not-out call, rather than any No-ball penalty, although benefiting from the reversal of the dismissal.
This, though, on the batting side, seems rather unjust if the decision were reversed. The other day, it didn’t make much of a difference to MI. But a game like the IPL 2019 final when the last ball was given out to Shardul Thakur when CSK needed two runs. The batsman then had a review taken and the on-field remained. But what would the ball have considered dead if the decision were reversed, and the single they ran would not have counted except to rob CSK of the title and spark controversy.
Another match that comes to mind is the 2019 World Cup final where, after all the outcry, the boundary count rule was repealed. One thinks that the ICC should not wait for anything like that to amend the law and take a decision on it as soon as possible instead.
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