Virat Kohli slammed the umpires officiating at the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s clash against the Mumbai Indians on Thursday after a missed no-ball on the final ball of the game cost his side a chance to win.
With seven runs needed of the final ball, Lasith Malinga overstepped the mark, which would have given RCB a chance to win the game off the free hit. The call wasn’t made and the home side lost by six runs in a thrilling clash at Bengaluru.
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On-field umpire Sundaram Ravi, India’s only representative in ICC’s Elite panel, was the umpire responsible for the error.
Kohli criticised the decision post-match and after the error was spotted on the big screen.
‘We are playing at the IPL level and not playing club cricket. The umpires should have had their eyes open. That’s a ridiculous call at the last ball,’ said Kohli. ‘If it is a game of margins, I don’t know what is happening. They should have been more sharp and careful out there.
‘Those decisions can cost you games and those games can cost you the tournament. We work really hard to win the tournament and those kind of mistakes are not acceptable.’
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma was also critical of the decision despite his side’s win.
‘There’s a TV up there, they have to watch what’s happening… Eventually, it’s not good for the game and whatever is not good for the game, I won’t stand for that,’ said Sharma at the post-match presser.
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis also responded to the incident on Twitter.
Technology should be used much more often in cricket … so many front foot no-balls missed all the time in all formats and only checked on dismissal. Should be as simple as 3rd umpire telling the umpire through ear piece that a no ball has been bowled.
— Faf Du Plessis (@faf1307) March 28, 2019
Photo: BCCI/IPL Website
