IPL 2019
IPL 2019: Kohli Urged Umpires To Raise The Bar Of Umpiring
By Aditya Pratap - Mar 29, 2019 12:23 am
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Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli was left stunned when on-field umpire S Ravi failed to spot a no-ball on the last ball of the match. Lasith Malinga was bowling to defend seven runs off the last ball, where he eventually overstepped but the on-field umpire didn’t call it on and left the cricket world in shock. Kohli looked furious after this whole drama and urged to raise the bar of umpiring in the Indian Premier League.

Virat Kohli

Bengaluru was well on course to win the game when they needed just 21 runs in 12 balls with AB de Villiers was still on the crease. Bumrah gave just five runs in that over and left Malinga to defend 17 in the last six. The equation got tighter towards the last ball and RCB needed seven runs to win on the last ball. Shivam Dube hit it towards the long on but on-field umpire S Ravi failed to spot that Malinga overstepped while delivering that ball.

WATCH – Umpire Missed The Crucial No-ball Of Lasith Malinga

Red-faced Kohli sounded furious after this horrible mistake and urged the umpires to raise the bar of umpiring. “We are playing at the IPL level and not playing club cricket. The umpires should have had their eyes open. That is a ridiculous call at the last ball. If it is a game of margins, I don’t know what is happening. They should have been more sharp and careful out there,” he said.

“When they were 145 for 7, we should have done better. The last few overs were brutal for us. A few more strikes apart from AB could have done the job for us. We need to be smarter at death bowling,” Kohli further added.

“Sure they guys will take a lot of learnings from the game. I think the way they bowled, we can learn from their game. The onus is always on each and every member of the team. I got out at a wrong point of time. Shivam was good as well.”

Here is the video of the same:

WATCH – AB de Villiers Gives Hardik Taste Of His Own Medicine

Jasprit Bumrah was the difference between the two sides. He came back into the attack on 14th over and immediately dismissed the dangerous looking Kohli with a perfect bouncer. He conceded only six runs in his last two overs to make the matters even worse for RCB. Bumrah finished the match with figures of 3/20 in his four overs.

Umpire S Ravi missed spotting that no-ball on last delivery

RCB skipper praised Bumrah and said “I mean Jassi is a top-class bowler. A bit of a mistake from me to take him on at that stage. Mumbai is lucky to have him. And also Malinga. And if Jassi is in good form, it is good for India.”