Indian Cricketers Forced Umpire To Overturn a Wide-ball Call, Saving India From a Shocking Defeat

Sano (Japan): Had some of the Indian players not forced the umpire to overturn a wide-ball decision in the final over of this unusual match ahead of the Asian Games men’s T20 tournament, Japan could have pulled off a stunning victory and put world champions India in an embarrassing situation.

Because of rain, the match was reduced from 20 overs per side to just five overs each. Batting first, India managed only 32 runs for four wickets in five overs (30 balls). Japan, in reply, scored 30 runs for three wickets from its 30 balls, giving India a narrow two-run victory.

Japan needed only six runs from the final four balls!

Japan needed just six runs from the last four deliveries to win the match. Had Japan scored those required runs, the result could have gone down in the record books as one of the biggest upsets in cricket history.

The final over was bowled by spinner Axar Patel. The third delivery was bowled to left-handed batter Alexander Shirai-Padmore. When Axar delivered the ball around leg stump, Alexander suddenly changed his stance and attempted to play the ball right-handed in a switch-hit. However, he missed the delivery, and umpire Chris Thurgate initially called it a wide.

There was no third umpire!

Although the match was an international fixture and a historic occasion for Japan, there was no third umpire (TV umpire) available. As a result, Axar Patel, wicketkeeper Sanju Samson and captain Shreyas Iyer themselves protested the wide-ball decision.

The Indian players argued that since the batter had changed his stance and attempted to play the shot from the opposite side, the delivery should not have been called a wide. The umpire eventually changed his decision.

Had the Indian players not raised the issue and Japan’s score moved from 27 to 28, the hosts could subsequently have completed the chase and handed world No. 1 India a highly embarrassing defeat.