Australia’s second T20I win against Sri Lanka wasn’t without controversy after it appeared the tourists may have missed out on a crucial wide call in the final over, which left cricket icon Shane Warne scratching his head.
Australia was forced to secure the victory in a super over, after opener Pathum Nissanka put the underdog Sri Lankans in position to win with a terrific 73 off just 53 deliveries with the bat.
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The tourists hit 46 runs off the final 18 deliveries of their innings to force a shell-shocked Australia into a super over.
In the final over and with Nissanka dismissed three deliveries in, Sri Lanka looked well and truly out before Dushmantha Chameera and Maheesh Theekshana each notched a boundary after needing 12 to win off the final three balls of the innings.
Chameera forced the super over by smashing a Marcus Stoinis full-toss down the ground for four off the final ball of the Sri Lankan innings.
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But there was controversy on Stoinis’ second last delivery to Theekshana after a wide wasn’t called by umpire Rod Tucker when it looked as if the ball was just on the outside of the blue line.
Sri Lanka notched one leg bye after running as the ball went through to Matthew Wade behind the stumps, but should’ve had an extra run as well as an extra delivery, had the wide call been correctly made.
The correct call would’ve left the tourists needing a much more manageable four runs off two deliveries to win the game as opposed to five runs off the final ball.
Warne said the umpire got it wrong and should’ve called a wide, which ultimately “would’ve won” Sri Lanka the match.
“This was the big controversy,” Warne said on commentary for Fox Cricket. “If this had’ve been called a wide, Sri Lanka win.”
“Now, was it a wide? He hasn’t moved the batter. To me, that’s a wide.
“I think Sri Lanka should’ve got that extra run, which means they would’ve gotten over the line.
“It wouldn’t have been a super over, they would’ve won the game. Some days they get called, some days they don’t.
Former Australian cricketer Kerry O’Keeffe agreed with Warne, adding “that’s a wide.”
Despite the brave performance, the tourists now face a do-or-die clash when the series moves to Canberra for the 3rd T20 on Tuesday evening.