SMAT 2021-22 | Wasim Jaffer reacts as Odisha lose by one run after controversial boundary call in final over

11/06/2021

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Odisha coach and former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer pointed out an umpiring error after his team lost their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22 match against Tamil Nadu by 1 run on Friday. The ball appeared to have touched the long-off boundary rope, but wasn't declared four by the umpires.

Odisha skipper Rajesh Dhuper won the toss and asked Tamil Nadu to bat first in Lucknow. Tamil Nadu lost an early wicket of Hari Nishaanth, and skipper Narayan Jagadeesan (37) and Sai Sudharsan (28) stitched a 53-run partnership for the second wicket before Sudharsan got out to Abhishek Yadav. 2012 U19 World Cup winner Baba Aparajith scored 44 not out off 28, while Shahrukh Khan was dismissed for a golden duck. The defending champions posted 165/5.

In reply, Odisha had a poor start as they lost the wicket of Anshuman Rath, the former skipper of Hong Kong national team, at the team score of 11. Skipper Dhuper couldn’t make an impact, and was dismissed for 12. Subhranshu Senapati (67) and Govinda Poddar (29) stitched a 62-run partnership for the third wicket, before Poddar was run out by Murugan Ashwin. Abhishek Raut played an impressive innings of 38* off 21 balls, but that wasn't enough as Odisha lost by one run.

After the finish, head coach Wasim Jaffer pointed out an umpiring error from the last over, during which a boundary wasn’t awarded to his team amd that eventually cost them the game. Facing T Natarajan, Raut played a shot between the long-off and covers when his team needed 12 off 3, which appeared to be hitting the ropes even though the Tamil Nadu fielder was trying to stop the boundary. The umpires didn’t adjudge that as a boundary, and the equation was reduced to 10 off 2. Raut hit two consecutive fours thereafter, as his team fell short by a run.