Virat Kohli took India across the line against Pakistan in their T20 World Cup match on Sunday.
But his stay at the crease was not without controversy.
There was a lot of noise over social media platforms over the last-over waist-high no ball.
India needed 16 off the final to pull off a famous win over Pakistan. Bowling the 20th over, left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz crumbled under pressure and bowled a no ball that Kohli dispatched for a six, tilting the game in India's favour.
Kohli rightly checked for a no ball and umpire Marais Erasmus took a while before deciding that it was a waist high full toss, sending the Pakistanis into panic mode.
Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg questioned the contentious call.
‘Why was no ball not reviewed, then how can it not be a dead ball when Kohli was bowled on a free hit. #INDvPAK #T20worldcup22.’
Pakistani fans expectedly thought that their team got the rough end of the stick. But it was the voices of legends that was heard the loudest.
‘Kohli did no wrong by checking with the umpires. But the on-field officials should have checked for the height with the third umpire. That is what technology is there for. You can use it when there is doubt,’ Pakistan legend Wasim Akram told A Sports.
Former Pakistan coach and another bowling legend, Waqar Younis said on a TV panel: ‘I’m not saying it is a no-ball or not a no-ball. I don’t want to get into this controversy. Normally, the umpire should have raised his arm out immediately if he saw something and realised it’s a no-ball. If he realised, it should have been called there and then. I still feel it’s Virat Kohli’s right for a no-ball and he did. But then the square leg umpire should have consulted with the front umpire and they should have gone upstairs, to then allow the third umpire to make the decision whether it was a no ball or not.”
India snatched a thrilling win off the last ball of the over.
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