T20 Mumbai League: Sachin Tendulkar calls for penalizing batting team after dead-ball controversy

Yesterday, the second edition of the T20 Mumbai League came to an end after Prithvi Shaw’s North Mumbai Panthers sealed a 12-run victory against the SoBo SuperSonics in the Final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, amidst some riveting cricket in the tournament, there was a controversy during the second semi-final between the SuperSonics and the Aakash Tigers.

In the last delivery of the 15th over, the SuperSonics were strolling along, having scored 158 for no loss. At that time, batsman Hersh Tank needed some medical attention following some cramps. After play resumed, Jay Bista took a single and retained the strike. But at the start of the next over, Tank took the strike, and neither the players nor the umpires noticed the error.

In the first ball, Tank perished. Thereafter, the umpires called it a dead-ball, realizing that the batsmen didn’t change ends. Consequently, the Tigers were denied the much-important wicket. In the meantime, Sachin Tendulkar, the brand ambassador of the T20 tournament, opened up on the goof-up and sounded absolutely furious by what panned out in Saturday’s match.

The legend agreed that the right thing happened as it was as per the laws of the game. Nevertheless, he feels that the batting side should be penalized seven runs, the maximum one could possibly score of one ball, for such errors. The veteran brought forth the rules applied when an additional fielder stays outside the circle and the umpires call it a no-ball along with signalling the free hit.

Why isn’t the batting side penalised?, Sachin questions

“Whatever I saw, I saw this for the first time and then I started thinking what could be done and it cannot be a dead ball. But the rules are such, whatever happened it was the right thing to happen at that moment,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying in Sportstar.

“But I was just thinking what could be that one change which can be implemented in time to come and I feel if three fielders are there in the circle, the umpire never tells them that you need to have the fourth fielder in the ring and it’s called a no-ball and there is a free hit. So the fielding side is penalised for that,” he mentioned.

“But when the batters don’t go to their respective ends, why isn’t the batting side penalised? I think the batting side should also be penalised. And what is the maximum that one could score off each ball is possibly 7 runs, which is a no ball of previous delivery and a free hit. So maybe here also it should be seven runs penalty for the batting side and then they change the ends,” Sachin added.

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