New Delhi: Anything can happen in cricket, it is not said for nothing. It also proved this in a match played on Sunday. In fact, this is the first time in the history of cricket, when a second DRS has been taken over DRS in a match. Yes, the very first season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has once again witnessed total drama.
Both teams took DRS by one wicket
The match played between UP Warriors and Mumbai Indians witnessed something that the world has rarely seen before. DRS was used twice for one wicket in this match. Eventually the umpire had to change his decision.
This scene was seen in the 5th over. When Warriors bowler Sophie Ecclestone bowled the fifth ball to Mumbai opener Hayley Mathews, Hayley tried to stop this yorker. Ecclestone and wicketkeeper and captain Alyssa Healy made a loud appeal after seeing the ball entering between leg and bat. However, the umpire refused to give out. When Healy asked Ecclestone, he asked for a review. Eventually Healy took DRS.
DO NOT MISS‼️
Here’s a look back at all the drama behind the Hayley Matthews DRS!
WATCH 📽️🔽 #TATAWPL | #UPWvMI https://t.co/CPCUeqUdYf
— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 12, 2023
Seen in the first review, the ball-shoe is fitted on the toe.
The third umpire reviewed it at first sight and showed that Mathews had stopped it with the bat. That is, the ball first hit the bat. However, it was seen in UltraEdge that the ball first hit the shoe. After this when the umpire saw the ball tracking, it had pitching inline, wicket hitting and impact inline. In such a situation, Mathews was declared out… but the picture was still pending.
Later it was found that the ball had hit the bat.
Batsman Mathews found it difficult to believe on this wicket. She started talking to bowler Ecclestone and opposition captain Alyssa Healy. On the other hand, both the field umpires also started discussing. After this, her teammate Yastika Bhatia, standing with Mathews, pointed out for DRS. Seeing this, the third umpire’s head was dizzy. He once again went to the review and this time he was shown that the ball had hit the ground and touched the bat directly. Frames were mounted on frames. Slowly reviewed, once again taking the ball closer to the shoe to see the spike. In which it was seen that the ball did not touch the shoe first. In such a situation, the third umpire had to change his decision and he declared Mathews not out from the onfield umpire. The onfield umpires were also stunned to see this sight.
Finally DRS is also challenged by women’s 😮👩🍳😮
DRS scam 😂#WPLT20 #MIWvsUPW#UPWarriorz #MumbaiIndians#ViratKohli𓃵 #BGT2023 pic.twitter.com/bfJJyj6A28— Utkarsh Singh 🇮🇳 (@itts_utkarsh) March 12, 2023
What’s just happened in the DRS here?
Why was that given out when it looks like ground-bat-toe? Hayley Matthews can’t believe the umpire’s finger has gone up and she is standing her ground. #WPL2023 | #TATAWPL pic.twitter.com/VhqFd6ejNc
— Lavanya 🎙️🎥👩🏻💻 (@lav_narayanan) March 12, 2023
What is going on!?
I think finally the right decision has been taken but that was one of the most bizarre things I have seen with DRS. The spin-vision clearly showed bat first.
Matthews given not out, then given out, then given not out. https://t.co/A9koGmNieW pic.twitter.com/ipyAiaxIkf
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 12, 2023
Unprecedented scene at #WPL2023
Field umpire gives NOT OUT.
Decision reviewed.
TV umpire gives OUT.
Field Umpire reverses decision to OUT
TV Decision reviewed again.
Now TV umpire says NOT OUT
Field umpire again reverses decision to NOT OUT@wplt20 @UPWarriorz_WPL #MI pic.twitter.com/BthT8Dhbzq— Abhishek Choudhary (@abhishekctoi) March 12, 2023
This was given NOT OUT then OUT LBW (?!?) now NOT OUT. Absolutely baffling. They were watching DRS in reverse… pic.twitter.com/U2S4n8SgtN
— Melissa Story (@melissagstory) March 12, 2023
After all the drama, Hayley Matthews remains not-out after a DRS confusion.
📸: Jio Cinema#CricTracker #WPL2023 #HayleyMatthews pic.twitter.com/TXIVm6HrB5
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) March 12, 2023
However, this unique case of DRS has generated a lot of debate. Earlier, Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur made a new beginning by taking a review for wide in a match. He also got the umpire’s decision changed. In this match, Mumbai Indians won by 8 wickets.