Umpiring Mistake Costs Kings XI Punjab First IPL Game; Owner Preity Zinta, Former Captain Virendra Sehwag Lash Out

An umpiring mistake by ICC's new Elite Panel entrant Nitin Menon has costed Kings XI Punjab their first IPL game.

Image: (Twitter/Virendra Sehwag)

New Delhi: An umpiring mistake turned out to be costly for the Kings XI Punjab as the team lost their first IPL game of the season against Delhi Capitals. In the game that held on September 20, both teams were tied at 157 for 8. Kagiso Rabada bowled a brilliant Super Over to clinch it for Capitals. Before the match went into Super Over, TV footage showed that ICC's new Elite Panel entrant Nitin Menon called a "run short" when Chris Jordan took a couple of runs off Rabada in the 19th over while playing towards long-on area. A report by PTI says that the TV replays showed that Jordan legally completed the first run and the bat was inside the crease. But Menon declared a "short run" which means he didn't enter his bat inside the crease. If the run was allowed then KXI would have won the match. Menon's decision did not go down well with many and owner Preity Zinta expressed her fury in a tweet,

I travelled enthusiastically during a pandemic,did 6 days of Quarantine & 5covid tests with a smile but that one Short Run hit me hard. What’s the point of technology if it cannot be used? It’s time @BCCI introduces new rules.This cannot happen every year. #DCvKXIP @lionsdenkxip https://t.co/uNMXFJYfpe

— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) September 21, 2020

Former captain Indian cricket team captain Virender Sehwag also lashed out at Menon. She also emphasised on better technology on field.

I don’t agree with the man of the match choice . The umpire who gave this short run should have been man of the match. Short Run nahin tha. And that was the difference. #DCvKXIP pic.twitter.com/7u7KKJXCLb

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 20, 2020

Like Zinta, former crickter Aakash Chopra also urged for bettern technology to avoid such mistakes on field.

One short that wasn’t. Technology must take over in these cases.....but that’s possible if only the third umpire spotted it in time. What if #KXIP don’t make it to the final four by 2 points?? Tight #IPL2020 is likely to be... https://t.co/juCLU375jg

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 20, 2020

The replays have shown that the decision was an umpiring mistake and that the batsman was safe. Most feel that better technology can help with situations such these.