Sri Lanka to send written complaint to ICC over third umpire decision

 The snicko meter shows a spike but the ball is nowhere near the bat, (on right): Sri Lankan players converge on umpire Gazi Sohel to question the decision

• Pathirana fit for third and final T20I on Saturday

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka is to write to the International Cricket Council (ICC) with regard to the controversial third umpire decision that deprived them of capturing an early wicket during Bangladesh’s chase in the second T20I at Sylhet which they lost by eight wickets on Wednesday.

“We will write to the ICC. We will give them footage and all that. I am sure the match referee will also send his report,” said Sri Lanka team manager Mahinda Halangoda.

“When a head umpire gives a batsman out the TV umpire (or third umpire) should have clear evidence that it is wrong. Otherwise, he cannot overturn it. The head umpire may have heard a noise, but the TV umpire cannot hear it. What he has to look at is only the spike. What he has to realise is from where that spike came from. He has to look at all that and make a decision. If he doesn’t have clear evidence, he has to go with the decision of the on-field umpire. That was definitely out, no doubt about it.”

“What the TV umpire has been saying is that there was a gap between bat and pad. Unless the ball touches the bat you won’t get a spike. The spike is definitely an edge or it has to touch the batsman’s clothing, pad or something. The ball didn’t touch anything.”

“The problem with T20I cricket is that all the umpires are from the host country, but for the ODIs and Test matches they have neutral umpires, that’s the difference.”

The incident happened in the first ball of the fourth over bowled by Binura Fernando. Soumya Sarkar was given out caught behind with his score on 14 and Bangladesh on 28/0. The left-handed batter immediately went for a review after that, but when the big screen showed a clear spike at around the same time the ball appeared to pass the bat he began to walk off the field.

However, third umpire Masudur Rahman deemed there to be a gap between bat and ball even though there was a spike on the Snickometer. The on-field decision of out by umpire Gasi Sohel was controversially overturned as the third umpire Masudur explained that the spike happened after the ball had passed the bat and there was a clear gap between bat and ball.

This decision infuriated the Sri Lankan players who swarmed around umpire Gazi Sohel to get a response and play was held up for a few minutes. However, the third umpire’s decision stood and the game continued.

Sarkar went on to add a further 12 runs to his personal score and stitch an opening stand of 68 for the first wicket with Litton Das to lay the foundation for Bangladesh’s successful chase of Sri Lanka’s score of 165-5.

“It was the first wicket and it could have given us a head start taking the wicket early on. Obviously on a track like this any wicket is crucial,” said Sri Lanka’s assistant coach Naveed Nawaz.

“I don’t know if the TV umpire had a different set of images from what we saw. Our images showed that there was a clear spike. We will be putting in a complaint in writing because the footage that we saw, there was a clear spike. According to the rules if an on-field umpire gives a decision and it is overturned by the TV umpire, the TV umpire should have enough evidence to say why he overturned it.”

While admitting that Sri Lanka were short of 20-25 runs, Nawaz said that the run out of Kamindu Mendis and the dismissal of skipper Charith Asalanka hurt them. “If they had continued to bat a little longer it would have benefitted us.”

Meanwhile, the good news for Sri Lanka is that Matheesha Pathirana who pulled up in the middle of his fourth and final over and left the field clutching the back of his left thigh will be fit to take the field for the decisive third and final T20I on Saturday at Sylhet.

“Pathirana had a stiffness in his hamstring, but he will be okay for the third T20I,” said Halangoda.