In the ongoing WTC 2023 Final, India faced a challenging situation as they trailed by 173 runs on Day 2. After a collapse of the top order, Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur showed great resilience, providing stability and bringing India back into the game. The match was also marked by a series of umpiring errors, leading to three overturned decisions in favor of the Indian batters.
The first instance occurred when Ajinkya Rahane, who was on a score of 17, was given out by the umpire after being caught in front of the wickets by Pat Cummins. However, Rahane decided to review the decision using the Decision Review System (DRS). To everyone’s surprise, it was revealed that Cummins had overstepped the bowling line, resulting in a no-ball. This fortunate turn of events brought a sense of relief among Indian fans.
It seemed like a one-off occurrence, but history repeated itself during the 60th over when Pat Cummins once again overstepped the line, this time with Shardul Thakur at the crease. The umpire’s initial decision to give Thakur out was overturned through the DRS, granting him a second chance to continue his innings.
As the Indian batting lineup reached its lower order, it became evident that their wickets were falling rapidly. With Mohammad Shami and Mohammad Siraj as the last two batsmen, it appeared only a matter of time before the innings concluded. During this tense period, Cameron Green delivered an excellent delivery, resulting in an lbw appeal against Siraj. The umpire gave him out, but Siraj opted to review the decision.
Meanwhile, David Warner and Steve Smith, assuming the DRS to be futile, started to leave the field. However, to everyone’s surprise, the review revealed that the ball had made contact with the bat. Consequently, the umpire was compelled to change his decision, and the Australian players returned to the field amidst laughter from the crowd.
In the second innings, Australia has scored 23/1 before the Tea break. The Indian bowlers have managed to maintain a tight leash on the Australian batsmen for now. However, India realizes that it will take more than just good bowling to mount a comeback in the WTC 2023 Final.