Martin Guptill’s controversial overthrow in the CWC final to be reviewed in September
Nonetheless, this is very unlikely to have a major effect as the results have already been announced and the winners have been declared.
Cricket has been a game full of controversies. Right since its inception, the sport has witnessed umpteen instances, wherein, on-and-off field squabbles and fracas have stolen all the limelight. One such specimen occurred just a few weeks ago, which eventually changed the face of a World Cup final.
In the final of the Cricket World Cup 2019, the English team had locked horns with the New Zealand at the exemplary Lord’s cricket stadium. After lots of fight from both sides, the game eventually went down the wire as the home team required 9 runs off the 3 balls.
Just at that time, a controversial overthrow occurred, in which, Martin Guptill threw the ball towards the wickets, howbeit, it, unfortunately, ricocheted off Ben Stokes’ bat and finally hit the boundary rope. The on-field umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Marias Erasmus gave 6 runs to the batting side.
This ultimately led to the game going to a super over, wherein, the hosts got better off the visitors with the help of their higher boundary count and finally lifted the WC silverware. Although, once the game was completed, this surprising overthrow led to arguments amongst the fans, pundits and aficionados from all over the world, as a majority of them felt that New Zealand had to become a victim of unfair rules and the batting side should’ve been rewarded with only 5 runs instead of 6.
What added another nail to the coffin was the comment of former legendary umpire Simon Taufel, who said that England should’ve ideally been awarded only 5 runs.
ICC decides to put it under the scanner
As a result of these disagreements, the International Cricket Council (ICC), has decided to re-examine this much-talked decision. A meeting, under the chairmanship of Mike Gatting, the Marylebone Cricket Club informed the media on Monday that this highly-discussed matter will be reviewed in September.
“The WCC (World Cricket Committee) discussed Law 19.8 in relation to overthrows, in the context of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Final. WCC felt that the Law was clear but the matter will be reviewed by the Laws sub-committee in September 2019,” said Mike Gatting, on behalf of the MCC on Monday.
Nonetheless, this is very unlikely to have a major effect as the results have already been announced and the winners have been declared.
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