IPL umpires: Check out top Controversial Umpiring incidents in IPL history

IPL umpires: The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a highly popular cricket tournament in India, attracting a lot of attention from fans and pundits alike. However, the tournament has also been marred by controversies, including dubious umpiring decisions that have impacted match outcomes. Over its 15-year history, the IPL has witnessed several controversial umpiring decisions that have been scrutinized by fans and experts. These decisions have sometimes even influenced the final outcome of the match. While the IPL remains a highly entertaining and popular event, these controversies have raised concerns about the fairness and integrity of the tournament. As a result, the organizers of the IPL have been working to improve the umpiring standards and ensure that all matches are played in a fair and transparent manner.

IPL umpires: Check out top Controversial Umpiring incidents in IPL history

During a 2018 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, a controversial umpiring decision may have impacted the final outcome. Despite a brilliant 92* by Virat Kohli, RCB fell short in their chase of Mumbai’s massive total of 213 runs. However, the turning point of the match came in the 18th over of Bangalore’s innings when Jasprit Bumrah bowled a short delivery that Umesh Yadav swung at and edged to Rohit Sharma, who took the catch.

The third umpire was called upon to check if the delivery was a no-ball. However, confusion arose when the third umpire reviewed footage of a different delivery, where Yadav was seen standing at the non-striker’s end next to Bumrah. The replay of the actual delivery showed that it was a fair delivery, but due to the mistake by the third umpire, the decision stood, and Yadav was given out. This decision may have had an impact on the final result of the match, raising concerns about the quality of umpiring in the IPL. As a result, the IPL’s organizers have been working to improve the umpiring standards to ensure that matches are played fairly and transparently.

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) match in the IPL on 20th September 2020 ended in a tie and went into a Super Over, which Delhi eventually won. However, controversy arose when a wrong short-run call was made during the 19th over of the Punjab innings.

Mayank Agarwal took two runs off the third ball, but the umpire called a short run, indicating that Chris Jordan’s bat had not crossed the line. Upon review, it was clear that Jordan had completed the run as his bat was past the crease. The decision sparked a massive controversy, as it changed the outcome of the match.

Indian batting legend Virender Sehwag humorously suggested that the IPL umpires who made the decision to award the short run be declared the Man of the Match. This incident highlighted the importance of accurate umpiring in cricket, especially in high-stakes matches like those in the IPL.

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In response to such controversies, the IPL organizers have been working to improve the IPL umpires standards in the tournament. They have implemented technology like the Decision Review System (DRS) to help umpires make accurate decisions. However, there is still room for improvement, and fans and experts continue to scrutinize umpiring decisions in the IPL.

On 28th March 2019, the Mumbai Indians (MI) faced off against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a high-stakes IPL match. After RCB won the toss, MI was asked to bat first, and led by Rohit Sharma’s 48 and Hardik Pandya’s blistering 32* off 14 balls, MI posted a challenging total of 187/8.

In response, RCB’s batting duo of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers gave a brilliant performance, with Kohli scoring 46 off 32 balls and de Villiers smashing 70* off just 41 balls. However, despite their efforts, RCB fell just 6 runs short of their target.

The final delivery of the match saw Shivam Dube on strike, with RCB needing 7 runs to win. MI’s Lasith Malinga bowled the last ball, but overstepped the crease, which should have resulted in a no-ball being called. However, the umpire failed to notice it, and Dube hit the ball to long on, resulting in no runs being scored.

The umpiring error had a significant impact on the match’s outcome, as if the no-ball had been called, a run would have been added to RCB’s total, and the final delivery would have been re-bowled, with a Free Hit being awarded. It is possible that had the no-ball been called earlier, the batsmen might have even crossed, and AB de Villiers might have faced the final delivery. Given de Villiers’ form and the high-pressure situation, the result of the match could have been different.

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