In the much-anticipated 2023 World Championship (WTC) final between India and Australia at The Oval, controversy hit the match as India were on the wrong end of a controversial decision made by the third umpire. Chasing a challenging target of 444, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a blistering start to their innings.
On the last delivery before the tea break, Gill appeared to take a delivery from Scott Boland into the hands of Cameron Green, who took a remarkable diving catch with his left hand. However, doubts arose when the decision was referred to the third umpire. Multiple replays failed to provide conclusive evidence that Green had made the catch cleanly, leading many spectators and pundits to question whether the ball had made contact with the ground and whether Green had complete control of it.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, was clearly furious with the decision, and his displeasure was evident to fans as he expressed his disappointment when the big screen confirmed Gill’s dismissal. Sharma also had a heated argument with the on-field umpire, but his protests went unheeded and Gill had no option but to approach.
Rohit Sharma talking to the umpires regarding the catch of Shubman Gill. (Hotstar) pic.twitter.com/zzsNajDCew— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) June 10, 2023
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill could not believe that the third umpire gave out. pic.twitter.com/X1hU9fGyIU– Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 10, 2023
The crowd at The Oval was angered by the decision, and the Australian players faced the hook. As the players returned to the pavilion for the tea break, chants of ‘cheater, cheater’ rang out across the ground. The controversial incident overshadowed the entire match, as Australia took advantage of their strong position to declare their innings an hour before tea. Both Gill and Sharma looked to be in exceptional touch until Boland’s lucky breakthrough.
Earlier in the match, a resilient half-century from Alex Carey thwarted India’s efforts to dismiss Australia early. In the second innings, Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the standout bowler for India, taking three wickets, while Umesh Yadav took two wickets.
In the first innings, after winning the toss and electing to field, India struggled to contain the Australian batting attack, scoring centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith, scoring a total of 469 runs. Despite a formidable partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur, India could only manage 296 runs before being bowled out.
The controversial decision in the WTC final added a sour note to an already intense match between the giants of cricket. Fans and analysts alike debated the legality of the hold, highlighting the need for improved technology and procedures to ensure fair play and eliminate such controversial incidents from the game.