BENGALURU , MAR 29,
A thrilling encounter between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians ended with one umpiring decision being the focus of debate.
With RCB needing seven off the final delivery of the match, Lasith Malinga bowled a dot ball as Mumbai celebrated its first win of the season.
Seconds later, though, it emerged that Malinga had overstepped, with umpire S. Ravi failing to spot the no-ball. An extra run and a free-hit would have kept RCB in the game, but it was not to be.
Be more sharp!
Both captains were critical of the umpiring error. “We are playing at IPL level, not club cricket,” an irate Virat Kohli said after the game. “That’s just a ridiculous call off the last ball. The umpires should have their eyes open, it was a no-ball by an inch. It [would have been] a completely different game altogether.
“So if it’s a game of margins, I don’t know what’s happening. They should have been more sharp and more careful out there.”
Rohit Sharma agreed. “These kinds of mistakes are not good for the game,” he said.
“The over before that Bumrah bowled a ball which wasn’t a wide but it was called. There’s a TV up there. You have to watch what is happening.
“As players, if we make mistakes we pay for it. It’s not about who won the game.
Those crucial decisions can change the game. We prepare so much to win games and tournaments and those kinds of mistakes are not acceptable.”
