IPL 2020: Here’s why the match result between DC and KXIP cannot be changed

The 13th edition of IPL has started with a bang. We have already witnessed two close encounters in the first two matches, with the latter culminating in a Super Over. Yesterday’s match between Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals will be remembered for a long time, not only because of its close-knit nature but also because of a huge umpiring error that possibly cost Kings the whole match.

The Punjab-based franchise was off to a great start, scalping three wickets within the powerplay. However, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant’s persistence, coupled with Stoinis’ heroics in the end helped them post a respectable score of 157. In return, Kings XI Punjab were reduced to a pitiable state at 55/5 with the match clearly in the Capitals’ grip.

However, opener Mayank Agarwal took the game deep and almost won the match for his side before giving his wicket away on the penultimate delivery. Capitals’ held their nerve and took the game to the Super Over where they won without any fuss.

How did the umpiring error influence the result?

Throwing the match away from a comfortable position was indeed a blunder. However, there was another factor at play that undeniably changed the course of the match. In the 19th over bowled by Kagiso Rabada, Agarwal hit one of his deliveries for a brace.

However, the umpire awarded a single run to them whilst signaling a short run. The replays in return showed that the run had, in fact, been completed and the short-run signal by the umpire was a wrong call. This decision somehow shaped the course of the match as Kings XI failed to score the winning run in the end, which otherwise would have been in their kitty had the correct call made in the penultimate over.

Is there anything that can be done to reverse the result? 

Needless to say, fans as well as experts were enraged on the umpiring decision with many demanding that the result of the match be reversed. Such an instance is indeed unfortunate in the field of cricket and there is hardly anything that fans and even authorities can do regarding the result of the concluded match.

According to Law 16.9.2 of the MCC’s Laws of Cricket, if there is a mistake in scoring which is discovered by an umpire after the match, he is entitled to inform both the captains about the concerned corrections in scores and result of the match. However, the issue in this match was not actually a scoring error, rather it was an umpiring error and unless the umpire had reversed his decision as regards the short-run, the scores which finally stood in the match would have to be considered as binding. Furthermore, Law 16.10 states that when the umpires have agreed upon the final scores of the match with the scorers, the result cannot be changed.

Thus, the only thing which could have been done in order to prevent such a situation was to address the short-run issue then and there with the umpire. In the absence of any such resolution, the umpire didn’t change his decision and hence, the score stood as it was. Clearly, MCC’s Laws of Cricket don’t allow reversing of results in such a case. Hence, the final result of yesterday’s match between Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals cannot be changed.

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