22 April,2024 04:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Harbhajan Singh (Pic: File Pic)
Former India player Harbhajan Singh backed the umpire's decision on Virat Kohli's controversial dismissal in the IPL 2024 match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the IPL 2024 match against KKR, Virat Kohli seemed quite promising with the willow as he smashed two sixes in his 18-run knock which came in seven deliveries. He was given out on a beamer delivery bowled by Harshit Rana.
Not amused with the decision of on-field umpires, the RCB's stalwart challenged the decision. The third umpire upheld the decision and gave him out. Thereafter, Kohli was seen arguing and left the field in anger.
Harbhajan backed the umpire's decision while stating that Kohli was out of the popping crease and since Harshit bowled a slower delivery it would have dipped and would have fallen below the waistline if Kohli had stayed in the crease.
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"When Virat Kohli got out the ball was high, it was a slower delivery and there was a lot of debate about whether it should be deemed as no-ball because the ball was above the waistline. Virat was standing outside the crease and when you are that far hawkeye measures the waistline from the popping crease (the white line). This year BCCI has measured the height of each player and if the ball passes above the waistline then it is given a no-ball if not then the decision is not given," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
"If Kohli was inside the crease then the ball was close to 0.92m which is less than Kohli's waistline (1.04). When we saw it from the naked eye the ball seemed quite high but Kohli was well outside the crease. The ball was going to dip because it was a slower one, if the ball was bowled with pace it could have been a no-ball. He was given out according to the rule. I believe that the ball would have dipped if he had stayed in the crease," Harbhajan added.
After the third umpire made his decision clear, Virat was seen arguing with the on-field umpire about his dismissal. While walking back to the pavilion, the batsman smashed his willow on the ground and also hit a trash can with his gloves.
After falling short in the chase by one run, RCB skipper Faf du Plessis gave his take on the umpire's decision which raised a lot of controversy.
"Obviously, the rules are the rules. Virat and myself at that stage thought that possibly the ball was higher than his waist. I guess they measure it on the popping crease," RCB captain du Plessis said after the game
"In those situations, you'll always have one team that's happy and one team that doesn't feel like it's quite the right decision. But that's just how the game works," he added.
(With ANI Inputs)
