‘Umpire hi kyu rakhe ho’ – Players can now take review for no-ball and wide in Indian T20 League

The inaugural season of the Women’s T20 League has been the start of a new revolution in women’s cricket. With this, it also brings in some new rules that can benefit the teams. Players often use the DRS for reviewing the umpire’s decision of out or not out, but for the first time in cricket, players can review the wide and no-ball decisions using the DRS. The Women’s T20 League is the first tournament to apply the rule.

The decision is now also going to be applied in the upcoming season of the Indian T20 League. The tournament will start on March 31 with an opening match between Gujarat and Chennai at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The Mumbai franchise became the first team to implement the rule in an opening match against the Gujarat franchise when they took a review against the wide ball bowled by their bowler Saika Ishaque, which was overturned when reviewed by the third umpire.

“A player may request a review of any decision taken by the on-field umpires concerning whether or not a batter is dismissed, with the exception of ‘Timed Out’ (Player Review). A player may also be allowed to review any decision taken by on-field umpires concerning wide or no-ball,” stated in Women’s T20 League playing conditions.

In the second match of the tournament between Delhi and Bangalore, Delhi batter Jemimah Rodrigues also took a review when she pulled a full toss from Megan Schutt and the on-field umpires didn’t signal for a no-ball for height. However, the decision wasn’t overturned as Rodrigues crouched a fair bit, almost down on her back knee.

Cricket Council’s elite umpire is not happy with the new rule

However, Simon Taufel, the former member of the Apex cricket council’s elite umpires wasn’t in the favour of this new rule.

“I’m really conscious around trying to turn the art of officiating into a science and seek perfection, whatever that looks like, with decision making,” said Taufel while talking to ESPNCricinfo.

“So with wides for example, and here we’re going to, potentially according to you, or according to the player or the debate, take a wide call and throw that back to the third umpire for them to judge on something that might be marginal and is still a judgement call,” he added.

Let’s see what the fans think about this new rule:

https://twitter.com/Joe_VocalI/status/1632594676183363585

https://twitter.com/AniketN_79/status/1632592564053495808

https://twitter.com/NucleusDevi/status/1632582016301699073

We Won Bro
WE Won ♥️♥️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/yNtqQvRb3u

— Spider Pant(Fan Account) (@pant_spider) March 6, 2023

Umpire ko hi hata do bhai ipl match me….useless job he wo ab….

— Monk Guy (@kikivivi15) March 6, 2023

Someday there will be no umpire on the field

— Sunilthoke (@Sunilthoke9) March 6, 2023

Krunal pandya to protest against this! IYKYK

— Abhijith N S (@Abhijithshet7) March 6, 2023

pic.twitter.com/Ztgjy178tN

— Usama Zafar (@Usama7) March 6, 2023

https://twitter.com/ErenKru139/status/1632581474137538560