Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: The drama unfolded during the India vs New Zealand Women’s T20 World Cup match in Dubai on Friday. India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur was left unsatisfied when her team was denied a run out.
The controversial moment caused a dramatic scene on the field. Harmanpreet expressed her disagreement with the decision, which did not go in favor of her team.
The incident took place during the final delivery of the 14th over in the match.New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr faced off against India’s spin bowler Deepti Sharma and struck the ball towards the off side.
Having easily completed the first run, Kerr and her batting partner Sophie Devine attempted a second. However, Harmanpreet, positioned at long-off, still had the ball in her hands as she looked for an over change.
Meanwhile, the umpire had handed Deepti Sharma her cap, typically signaling the end of the over. Devine’s decision to go for a second run was questionable and Harmanpreet quickly assessed the situation. She launched a bullet throw to the keeper’s end, where Richa Ghosh swiftly removed the bails, catching Kerr well short of the crease.
But to the dismay of the Indian players, Kerr was recalled after the umpires ruled the ball dead, despite Harmanpreet’s visible frustration.
Animated discussions followed between coach Amol Muzumdar and the fourth umpire, as play remained suspended for a few minutes. Harmanpreet even appeared ready to join the debate, but the fourth umpire eventually instructed them to resume the match, leaving the Indians visibly unconvinced by the explanation.
Star India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also reacted to the development and shared the clip of the event on his X handle.
“The over was called before the start of the second run. Whose fault is this really? @prithinarayanan,” Ashwin wrote.
