Explained: Why was Super Over not conducted for tied 1st SL vs IND ODI?

The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on August 2 ended in a Tie as fans kept wondering about the Super Over not being conducted. Chasing the target of 230, India levelled the score before getting all-out in 47.5 overs. The organisers probably made the mistake of not conducting a Super Over, as there was no rain threat during the game. 

For the ones speculating about the presence of the Super Over's rule in One-Day Internationals, the famous 2019 World Cup final bore the outcome after a Super Over was bowled. Both England and New Zealand managed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder even after the Super Over, and England were named champions on boundary count. After the huge backlash over the rule, ICC decided that subsequent Super Overs should be bowled when the previous one ends in a tie.

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Moreover, a Cricket World Cup Super League 2020 ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe generated the result after a Super Over. When West Indies and Netherlands clashed in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier in 2023, a Super Over was introduced to decide the winner.

What do Playing Conditions for Super Over say? 

“A Super Over shall be played. If the Super Over is a tie, then unless exceptional circumstances arise, subsequent Super Overs shall be played until there is a winner. Should it not be possible to play or complete the Super Overs needed to determine a winner, the match shall be tied.”

Clause 16.3.1.1 states that all men’s ODIs that end in a tie will end with a Super Over unless it is not feasible to play them.

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In such case, India’s innings ended within 48 overs and there was a timing cushion of more than 10 minutes given an over, which takes approximately five minutes to be bowled. If there was a providence of having a Super Over, it should have started after five minutes of India’s innings.