Karma is widely celebrated in India as the universe’s way of ensuring justice, and New Zealand nearly got a taste of it on Friday until the umpire intervened, much to Harmanpreet Kaur’s chagrin. The Kiwis tried to sneak an untoward run and lost a wicket thereby, only to be saved by a dead ball call.
New Zealand got off to a rolicking start in the T20 World Cup opener against India in Dubai as openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer racked up 55 runs in the powerplay to put India on the backfoot. However, the Women in Blue turned the game around quickly by dismissing both the batters in the space of four deliveries, and then nearly earned a third shortly after only to be denied in dramatic fashion.
The experienced duo of Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine sought to stabilize the innings after the two scalps by slowly building their stand past 30 to take the score to 99/2 after 14 overs. Deepti Sharma, having just completed her over with a full delivery that was driven by Kerr for a single to long-on, was walking over to the umpire to take back her hat when the Kiwi batters suddenly started running frantically between the sutmps. Devine had realized that Harmanpreet, the fielder with the ball in hand, was jogging along for the switch of ends and saw it as an opportunity to sneak a clever run but the Indian was alert to the opportunity and fired in an accurate throw at the striker’s end to earn the run-out. However, while the players appealed, the square-leg umpire was comically busy tying her shoelaces before eventually beginning discussions with her counterpart.
Replays showed that the umpires had already called over and thereby handed over the cap to Deepti when the run was being taken, meaning the ball was dead and the run-out did not count. harmanpreet repeatedly try to explain her side to the umpire, as did the coaching staff on the sielines to the fourth official, but unfortunately for her the pleas fell on deaf ears. Nevertheless, karma came back to bit Kerr as she succumbed just two deliveries later, and Harmanpreet let her emotions show with aplomb.
What is this??
What is happening here??
— Arijit Shanto (@ArijitShan18431) October 4, 2024
The over was called before the start of the second run🤝.
Whose fault is this really? @prithinarayanan pic.twitter.com/67gqmPNfCq— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) October 4, 2024
Can’t believe!
Big one!
BIG CONTROVERSY IN INDIA VS NEW ZEALAND MATCH!
– Shocking umpiring decision! Amelia Kerr tried to steal a second run and was brilliantly run out by Harmanpreet Kaur, but the umpires called it a dead ball! 😳 The crowd and Team India are not happy with this call. #INDvNZ… pic.twitter.com/96ISEpfkZj— Lalit Mohan (@Lalityadav8532) October 4, 2024
Shocking umpiring decision! Amelia Kerr tried to steal a second run and was brilliantly run out by Harmanpreet Kaur, but the umpires called it a dead ball! #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/hzVQWkMyV3
— Chinmoy (@ChinmoyRay07) October 4, 2024
It should be given out right?
She almost lost cool!
Harmanpreet Kaur has decided that after retirement she’ll pursue a career in law; after years of arguing with umpires, she’s ready for the courtroom debates. #INDvsNZ pic.twitter.com/UILGdkbe7b
— Kuch Bhi!!!! (@KirkutExpert99) October 4, 2024
2 scenarios:
1st: Batter intention was for run, should be declared out.
2nd: Umpires called OVER! 1 Run would not have been awarded even if they had completed. So a Not out. #Harmanpreetkaur as usual 🔥🔥. #Ameliakerr anyways dismissed in next over!!!#INDvsNZ pic.twitter.com/Jadhq3NYk5— SpotOnViews (@spotonviews) October 4, 2024
She was given notout!
