Rohit Sharma’s brilliance propelled India to a narrow victory over Afghanistan in a dramatic third T20I at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
His century rescued India from 22/4 to 212, with Rinku Singh’s 69 also playing a crucial role. But Rohit’s heroics weren’t limited to the main innings.
A double Super Over was needed to decide the winner, and Rohit became the first Indian to bat three times in an international match. He even contributed all four boundaries (three sixes and one four) hit by India in both Super Overs. However, his second Super Over appearance became the source of controversy.
After facing five balls in the first Super Over, Rohit surprisingly walked off as he was in the non strikers end. Rinku Singh replaced him with India needing two runs off the final ball. This seemingly tactical move to send a faster runner for the crucial deliery.
The confusion arose because the reason for Rohit’s retirement remained unclear. While he wasn’t noticeably injured, the retirement-related rules are ambiguous. If he retired “illness, injury” he could resume his innings.
Any other reason would require the opposing captain’s consent for resumption, failing which he’d be retired out.
Adding to the confusion, Super Over rules stipulate that a batter dismissed in a previous Super Over cannot bat in the next. Rohit clearly fit this criteria if he retired out.
So, was it a retirement hurt or out? Technically, it appears to be out, assuming no official confirmation of injury exists. This would disqualify him from the second Super Over.
However, Rohit did bat again, leading to speculation about a potential oversight by the umpires. Did they misinterpret the rule, or did they receive unspoken consent from Afghanistan? The lack of transparency and communication fueled the doubt.
Rohit’s subsequent six and four proved pivotal, as India lost both wickets shortly after but defended 11 runs thanks to Ravi Bishnoi’s three wickets in three balls.
Despite the win, the retirement controversy overshadowed the thrilling encounter. The lack of clarity regarding the rules and communication breakdown left room for questions and potential unfair advantage.
Hopefully, this incident prompts a discussion and potential clarification of the regulations surrounding retirements and Super Overs in future matches. (NewsWire)